The Empire of Man
by Holland93
Summary: Humanity's reaction to the discovery of the archives on mars was very different from what happened in the games. The militaristic Empire of man is preparing to expand. But how will they react when they discover that they are not alone in the galaxy. And more importantly. How will the galaxy respond to humanity? First contact story. Rated T for language and some blood and gore.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own "mass effect" or any concepts of the mass effect univers. Those are the sole property of EA and Bioware.

**Background:**

_In 2047 humanity discovered the archives on Mars. The political and economic repercussions of this discovery were far more extensive than anybody had ever theorized. Discovering that an extraterrestrial species not only existed but had watched them and monitored them send shockwaves through human society. Extensive research of the archives yielded the superior technology and knowledge which made it evident that humanity was ridiculously inferior to these extraterrestrial beings. Fearing the possibility of an imminent attack from a hostile species vastly superior in technology than humanity, the UN held an emergency summit the likes of which had never been seen. The petty differences and conflict between the varying nations and ethnic groups completely forgotten in the light of the threat from outer space. The aliens posed a threat not only against a single nation, or a single people but to all of man. _

_Through the next ten years humanity developed. Powerful unions were made. Enormous armies were raised, ships were built by the hundreds, tanks, bombers, fighters and weapons rolled of the assembly lines at an impossible rate. Soon the world was divided between groups of enormously powerful assemblies of nations. The three most powerful were The American League, The Euro-Asian gathering and The African union. The scientific economic and technological developments in this era, with the help of the data stored in the data caches on Mars, catapulted humanity forward hundreds of years' worth of technological advancement. But the unions were continuously at odds with each other. Hostilities between the groups threatened to emerge and equipped with the new weapons of mass destruction, a war loomed just around the corner. A war that threatened to exterminate mankind much faster than the alien menace could ever do. Faced with this reality the unions formed a radical plan. At a gathering of the most powerful and influential members of these factions, they came up with what was latter called the "Caesar" initiative. All nations under the unions would form an Economic, military and political Assembly. Each of the participating Nations would in effect become a state in a new human empire. Humanity would gather under a powerful leader. One empire, One senate One people, One Emperor. _

_And so on the 9__th__ of April 2058 The Chairman of the Euro-Asian Gathering, Arthur Calaghan (later Tiberius the 1st) was elected to become the first Emperor of the Empire of man. His first act was the implementation of the "Midnight" protocol. Humanity would remain in its home system. Build up their defenses, their armies, their fleets and their infrastructure. Earth would be improved, terraformed, to support as many humans as possible. Satellites and probes that left human space would be equipped with a kill switch. If they encountered alien life they would automatically destroy themselves completely, and thereby prevent anyone from discovering the location of the Sol system. Based on the data found in the prothean archives scientist theorized that they could replicate the weapons technology used by the aliens and reverse engineer it. They would make humanities weapons more powerful and more destructive than anything they would encounter. And so humanity, for the first time ever, became a united people under one ruler._

_ Together humanity progressed and evolved. The deserts of Sahara, The Gobi and the icy wastelands of northern Canada and Siberia were transformed into lush green lands. Covered in fields of wheat, barley and meadows of grass to feed the herds of animals needed to sustain the exploding population. Capital cities became mega cities with populations in the tens of millions. The jungles in China, South America and Africa were resurrected and the oceans cleaned of the pollutants from decades of neglect. Together humanity fixed century's worth of damage to their home world. Extensive terraforming was even commenced on the moon, allowing hundreds of thousands of people to live in huge bio domes that could support life. Through the next decades, the nations of Earth were at peace, and humanity prospered. _

_On the 26__th__ of October, 2069, The First Emperor died when his heart gave out. Humanity was in mourning. After a week-long funeral His successor Temos Tiberius, his oldest son, ascended the throne. Under his rule Earths new capitol "Empire city" situated on an enormous artificial island in the Atlantic Ocean was build. The huge city would not only house the Imperial palace, but also the many different agencies, ministries and the newly created senate. The prosperity that humanity had known under Emperor Temos farther continued under his own rule. The process of strip-mining the Sol-system to acquire the resources needed to fuel humanities factories and cities left gargantuan scars on the face of the neighboring planets, but provided the much needed resources required for humanities further development. _

_. Then on August 17th 2099, after nearly thirty years of benevolent rule, Emperor Temos Tiberius, the 2__nd__ emperor of mankind, passed away in his sleep. He was succeeded on August 24th 2099 by his only son, Markus Tiberius. Markus Tiberius quickly became known for his militaristic focus. Under his rule humanities weapons became more destructive, its fleets became more powerful and its armies, more deadly. He wanted his rule to mark the beginning of humanities ascendance. Plans were drawn up and probes were sent out to find planets that could be colonized. His proposition for venturing outside the Sol-system was met with fierce resistance in the senate, and was ultimately denied. And so the quiet arms-race continued. And humanity stayed in their home system. Building up its armies and defenses. And wondering what was out amongst thedarkness of the stars. _

* * *

_April 3rd 2158. Empire city. 01:05. Terran standard time. _

Victor Huntman was not a man easily disturbed. Throughout his long career in Terran politics he had learned to take bad news, political ambushes and sudden meetings in his stride and just go with it. He had been lavished with praise and respected by his peers for his ability to form plans, contingencies and schemes in mere seconds. He processed new information and put it to use quickly and efficiently. That was the reason he had had a meteoric climb through the senate, and the reason why he now held the prestigious office of "Minister of resources".

As a minister and a member of the inner council he had more power than almost any other individual in the Sol system. But even a man as important as Victor felt a slight chill run down his spine when he was called to an emergency meeting of the inner council. He had received the message from a Praetorian guard clad from top to toe in their dark polished and golden amour. The guard had then escorted him to his shuttle where he was squeezed in between two more praetorians. When the guards where sure that he was sat in the most comfortable position possible the shuttle doors closed and the machine took off towards the council chambers. The message had been short and to the point. He looked at his datapad and reread it for the hundredth time. It simply stated:

"Victor. The council is being called for an emergency meeting. The senate has been notified to assemble. Hurry"

It was signed in the delicate cursive handwriting of Aamina Jakar, the minister of human resources and a close friend of his. He looked up from the datapad to see the hard eyes of his escorts staring out the armored windows of the shuttle as they soared over Empire City, Earths capitol and its largest city. His eyes flicked form one guard to the other trying to figure out which one was in command. Over the shoulder of the guard sitting in front of him he saw the rear of another armored shuttle Looking over his shoulder through the rear window he spotted a third shuttle, completing their convoy.

He saw that the shuttle bore the symbol of the Praetorian guard. An eagle, its wings spread, with its claws gripping a sword each. It was unsettling. He never needed a military escort before, and he certainly had never needed one that flew in a textbook VIP protection pattern. It was also unsettling since the Praetorian guard was the Emperors personal bodyguard and only served with the Legions as special forces or with the protection of the Emperor and his closest relatives. Protecting a Minister, however important and powerful, was a far cry from their normal duties. Settling his eyes on the guard in the front right seat he said loud and clearly to get his attention.

"This isn't exactly normal procedure, could you tell me what this is all about?"

The guard looked him in the eyes and simply said.

"I know no more about this matter than you do sir. I'm just following orders and making sure you make it safely to the council chambers".

_Well, that settled that then_ he thought and leaned back into the seat. He fished out his datapad from his pocket and started sorting through the reports he had been getting from the people under his command. Just because he was called to an emergency meeting didn't mean that he didn't have work to do. Plus it calmed his, by now, considerably ragged and thin nerves. He was on edge and it felt strangely calming to read through the myriad of reports from mines and survey groups all over the system. Reading through the familiar reports and schedules he completely lost track until he heard the shuttles engines quiet down as it descended to land at the shuttle pad on the roof of the council chambers.

He stepped out of the shuttle quickly when it landed, relishing the opportunity to stretch out his shoulder which had been squeezed between the armored hulks that served as his bodyguards. Walking with a brisk pace flanked on each side by the guards, he quickly strode to the front gates of the building. The gates were flanked on each side by five legionnaires. Clad in their blood red armor and with their large "Gladius" assault rifles held across their chests they made an impressive, if not terrifying, sight to behold. They went unchallenged through the front gates, the glass doors sliding soundlessly aside to admit the minister and his escort. Walking quickly through the foyer he reached the elevator that would lead him to the chambers of the inner council. The guards left him before he entered, so he was alone as he rose through the myriad of floors. He tapped his foot against the floor impatiently. The elevator ride took impossibly long and when he finally reached the top floor, the seat of the inner council, he almost leapt out of the elevator. He walked down the long hall that led to the meeting chambers, flanked on both sides by pictures of the previous occupants of the different offices of the council. He stopped at the doors to take a minute to flatten his suit that he had hastily put on when the soldiers had collected him and took a moment to come his greying hair before he open the doors.

Entering the warm, well lit hall he quickly surveyed the room. The hall was spacious, easily able to accommodate well over a hundred people without getting uncomfortably constricted. For security reasosn the room was not equipped with windows, in the middle of the chamber there were a large round table with a large opulent throne placed in the far end away from and facing the door. Nine high backed chairs surrounding the rest of the table. About half a meter in front of each chair was a small black metal sign where the different council members name and their office was written in large golden letters. To further fortify the person's importance there was behind each chair, hung from the wall, a banner with the color and the sigil of the respective office He was not at all surprised to see that he was one of the last to arrive.

Seven of the ten chairs were occupied. He took his seat and saw that apart from himself and Aamina Jakar, whom he gave a friendly smile to when he entered, the only other chairs that were vacant was the chair of the Prime Minister Liam Cunningham, and the throne. Victor looked around the room trying to gauge his fellow council members expressions. The Grand marshal, Andreijew Petrowski looked as if he was about to dose of, his eyes closed and his beard hanging from the spread between his fingers as he rested his head on his arm, propped up on the elbow on the dark polished oak table. Across from Victor sat Dao Uong, the Grand admiral, who was having a subdued discussion with the man on his right, Norman Connors, the consul and first man of the Senate. Shauna Raulman, The minister of research looked, if possible, even more bored by the whole thing than the sleeping Petrowski. She was typing furiously on her datapad, no doubt trying to make up for lost work. She had always protested against the monthly meeting of the council since she saw the whole thing as a criminal waste of time.

The last two people present were Kathrina Le'Chaun, minister and leader of the imperial intelligence services, and Dulo Muba, minister of finances. Since no one seemed to have anything to say Victor stood up. "Does anyone know the reason for this meeting?" he enquired loudly. All eyes focused on him. Even the slumbering Petrowski opened his eyes to stare at Victor. Dao Uong rose leaned forward in his chair, his gruff voice still filled with sleep.

"I was under the impression that someone" he looked pointedly around the table "had initiated emergency procedures. I don't very much like to be dragged from my bed at this ungodly hour and I like it even less when no one seems to be aware of the reason". There was a short pause after he had spoken before Shauna Raulman spoke up.

"In case you hadn't noticed Mr. Uong both Cunningham and His majesty is still not in attendance". She held a short break before continuing "And no I haven't the slightest idea of why we have been summoned". She concluded. Uong scowled at her but did not say anything. Silence filled the room. Soon each of the councilors were engrossed in either idle conversation, work, or in Grand marshal Petrowski's case, sleep. Several minutes passed and Victor's previous anxiety had faded away when the chamber doors burst open. A flustered and angry looking Liam Cunnigham stormed into the room, he went to his seat and with an aggressive motion he wiped away the sweat that had gathered on his ageing brow. He looked up at the gathered assembly his steely eyes taking a moment to stare into the eyes of each of the assembled councilors.

"Exactly one hour and thirty-eight minutes ago, Emperor Markus Tiberius, the third emperor of mankind, passed away".

He said it without a quiver in his voice. He simply stated the fact. The chamber went deathly silent. Victor felt like he had been hit by a jackhammer. _Dead? _He thought. He was shocked, like so many others of his generation, Emperor Markus had been a solid rock. The very real face of the Empire. Having led mankind almost sixty years meant that most of the population had either spent most of their life under his rule or, more likely, all of their life. Victor glanced at the large vacant throne at the end of the table. How many times had he sat there? He had spent many hours of his life debating with the emperor in this very room, or leading polite conversations with him at one of his many social gatherings, and while they had never seen eye to eye he had certainly held a deep respect for the man as a person, and a patriotic love for him as a monarch.

Haven given the chamber a moment to collect themselves The Prime Minister continued.

"The doctors say it was a heart attack caused by severe stress and pressure. We all knew that he had fought fiercely with the senate over his plan for colonization of systems outside our home. And he wasn't as young as he once was, his death is not a major surprise".

Victor bristled at his cold tone. While the Emperor had certainly not been a young man, he hadn't been that old either. At the age of ninety-one the emperor had been a middle-aged man. Although his appearance made him look like a man much older it didn't change the fact. Technological progress and enormous rise in living quality and healthcare had pushed the average human's lifespan to well pass a hundred and thirty. While they all new that the emperor had suffered under deteriorating health in the last few months few of them had foreseen his imminent demise. As the emperor of mankind and the single richest, most influential and powerful individual in Terran space, he had access to the very best healthcare and facilities humanity had to offer. He looked around and saw similar expressions of disbelief on his fellow councilors. Cunningham cleared his throat and the quiet murmur that had sprung up died down immediately.

"I know this comes as a shock to all of us but we have a serious and very immediate matter to attend to. While it is a tragic and sad event that or beloved monarch has passed from this world, it wasn't wholly unexpected. The reason that I initiated emergency protocol is this".

As he said this he used a small panel to turn on the holo projector imbedded in the middle of the table. immediately the projected images of two men and a boy started floating atop the table. The men had a remarkable resemblance to their father, the now late Emperor, whilst the boy looked nothing like him. The two men both looked stern and hardened while the boy looked a bit confused and shy. It was only a picture but Victor found it remarkable how uncomfortable and awkward the young boy looked compared to the two men.

"As you are all well aware Titus Tiberius, Markus' oldest son, passed away last year in a shuttle accident".

As he said this the image of one of the men disappeared.

"And Nero Tiberius was fatally shot in a hunting accident on Luna more than three years ago".

The image of the second man disappeared.

"Which only leaves us one direct descendent from the Imperial bloodline. Young Augustus".

The image of the young boy grew larger so that everyone could get a closer look. Victor was stunned when he realized just how young the boy actually was. He couldn't be much more than thirteen or fourteen years old.

"You can't be serious!" the Deep voice of Norman Connors interrupted. The portly consul rose to his feet "This boy is the only descendent!"

It wasn't a question as much as a statement. He stared at the Prime minister, disbelief written all over his face. As the consul of the senate, and the leader of the conservatists party, Connors was perhaps the most powerful individual in the room. Except for the prime minister.

"We can't have this… this… BOY leading the empire!" he spat gesturing towards the slowly rotating holo of the confused boy.

Cunningham sat back in his chair and raised his hands in a placating manner.

"I concur Mr. Connors, we cannot allow a mere boy to rule the empire. Now if we were to wait a few years and led him mature…" He was immediately interrupted by the sound of Petrowski's enormous fist hammering into the wooden table.

"That is the son of the emperor, the Crown prince you're talking about". His voice was filled with menace and his eyes were staring daggers into first Cunningham and then Conners, who visibly shirked away from the Marshals unforgiving gaze. "He is the rightful heir to the throne. He is a direct descended of the first emperor!" he looked to the large paintings of the three emperors that hung behind the Throne and hammered a closed fist to his left chest. The military salute to a man of higher rank. Making a clear statement of his loyalties.

Victor, not wanting to let the council meeting turn into a shouting match and sensing a ploy from the prime minister, cleared his throat "I agree with Petrowski. That is the emperor's son and by law he is the rightful heir to the throne. We cannot allow almost a century of peaceful and prosperous rule to be disrupted because the prince is too young". He looked around at the gathered councilors and continued "All right, he may be a little too young, but with the help of the senate and with or counseling he will grow into a fine monarch like his predecessors". He hoped that it would calm things down. Petrowski sent an approving nod in his direction and out of the corner of his eyes he saw both Aamina Jakar and Kathrina Le'chaun nod their heads in agreement. Good, he had the support of at least three others so the odds were evening out. Seeing that he was losing the argument Connors changed tactics.

"Bah it doesn't matter what anyone of us thinks. All matters regarding the royal family have to go through the senate". He smiled triumphantly. Looking down at the scowling Petrowski who were grinding his teeth in anger. As the Consul, and the foreman of the largest party, Connors wielded considerable political sway in the senate chambers and none of them were able to do much to influence him.

The discussion nonetheless drew out long into the night. The tempers flared between the two parties. Both Shauna Raulman and Dao Uong remained conspicuously neutral throughout the whole debate. The initial shock of the death of the long ruling emperor was quickly forgotten by the council members as they fiercely debated the succession. Although Connors was correct that it was the senate, and not the council, who would have the final say in whether the young Augustus Tiberius would ascend to the throne or if he would have to wait some years. The sun was already coming up over the horizon when Cunningham rose and spread his arms for silence. When he had everyone's attention he stated in a somber and somewhat strained tone.

"I can see we won't be making any progress here. The senate will convene in a few hours to discuss this matter further. I suggest you all go home and await their decision". He turned around and briskly left the hall, signaling that he considered that to be the end of the matter as far as he was concerned. Smiling triumphantly and sending a particularly wide grin towards Victor and Petrowski, Connors immediately followed. The other councilors slowly left the chamber one by one. Victor stretched from the hours of sitting and left for the elevator. He entered a vacant one and the doors were just about to close when a meaty hand shoot in and blocked them. The doors opened to admit the bulky form of Grand Marshal Petrowski. When the doors closed and the elevator began its decent towards the lower floors he cleared his throat and looked out the glass of the elevator as it slid down the side of the building. Looking out across the architectural marvel that was Empire City, bathed in the orange glow of the rising sun the white marble and glass buildings shone with a brilliance of a polished diamond, reminding both of them what humanity had accomplished during just one century of Imperial rule.

The capitol of Earth housed more than a hundred million people. The large round senate building was easily visible from anywhere in the city. Its walls made of white marble and its high columns supporting a round gold plated roof. It was a work of art, but even that paled in comparison to the brilliance and grandeur that was the palace. Situated atop the only hill in the area, the palace was removed from the city, both by the geographical curves of terrarformed nature, but also by the high white wall surrounding the palace and its gardens. It was a true testament to the power, wealth and stability that humanity had achieved through the last century. With its green gardens, golden roofs, red banners and enormous statues visible from anywhere in the city, it was perhaps the greatest feat of cultural architecture humanity had ever built. Victor would probably have found the view stunning if it wasn't for the fact that he was quite intimidated by the large man besides him. Standing at more than 6.4 feet and with a body honed and shaped through decades in the army Pertowski towered over the much smaller Minister. After what felt like an eternity, Petrowski chose to break the silence.

"I appreciate your support in there". He said at some length completely tacking Victor Aback. "That snake Cunningham... he is up to something" he stated. A sneer forming whilst he said it.

Victor new what he was hinting at. Even though the Emperor had passed away only a few hours before Victor, and the rest of the council, had quickly moved on. They didn't advance so fast up the political career ladder if they weren't quick to process these kinds of things. Still, the prime minister had been a little too calm, and the interruption by Connors had sounded a little too rehearsed.

"If the emperor is unable to rule, then the prime minister will act in his stead" Victor stated. "And we both know Connors has been in Cunningham's pocket for a long time".

There was a long minute of silence. The rush of air from their decent the only sound.

"I think I'll call in a few favors amongst the senators". Petrowski said, scratching his beard. "Augustus may be young, but he is a Tiberius. He is made to rule".

Victor nodded. "He may only be a boy. But he is a powerful symbol. The emperors has kept us from attacking each other and secured peace between us. If Cunningham takes the throne as a steward even only for a few years, the repercussions may be severe".

The elevator reached the bottom floor and they both stepped out. Petrowski turned to Victor.

"Look we both know that this isn't some petty squabble about the boy's fitness to rule". Petrowski said matter of factly. "Cunningham and Connors have used most of their careers blocking Markus' attempts to lift the Midnight protocol. If the boy's right to rule is acknowledged he may be able to finally lift it". He looked expectantly at Victor waiting for him to say something. Victor was well aware that the, now deceased, emperor had been trying to lift the "midnight protocol". The law that forced humans to stay within the bounds of the Sol-system. He had met fierce resistance throughout his rule. From both the council, and the senate. However after many years of shoring up their defenses and expanding their military capability, there had been a slow but noticeable shift in power. The radicals, the largest party in the senate, had lost more and more candidates to the young and radical progresionists party. Even the council had been more favorable to the idea with only a few die-hards like Connors and Cunningham opposing.

"indeed. If the prince is favorable to the idea". He smirked at the thought of the young prince actually being able to lift the ancient law. That would undo Connors, who had built his whole political career on opposing the abolition of the law. "I may follow your example and call in a few favors". With that they parted ways. As Victor was about to leave he decided that he would indeed be calling in those favors. As a minister of resources his word carried with it a great deal of influence and simply by supporting a candidate or a proposition could make the difference. So he was indeed owed quit a lot from many people. He hadn't spent his political career idly. But when he saw on his chronometer that the senate meeting was about to begin, he still had his doubts whether it would be enough. Although he had power and influence, and that his support was key to many a senators continued employment, it didn't mean that all of them would vote in favor of the young emperor. '_I'll just have to wait and see' _he thought as he was escorted into his vehicle. Nervously awaiting the senate's decision.

* * *

As the luxurious hovercar belonging to Liam Cunningham flew effortlessly across the skies of Empire City, The prime minister watched with dismay as the consul emptied yet another glass of his _Luna Grand Maison 2154_. Distilled from grapes grown in one of Luna's Bio domes the wine was an expensive and exceptionally rare vintage. Costing more than most houses on Earth and with only about twenty bottles produced a year the Consuls utter disregard for the wines rarity was clear as he refilled his glass. _That fat sack is useful, however distasteful he might be, _he thought as he rubbed his temple. He had gotten the most dreadful headache from the council meeting, only reinforced by the insufferable company of the consul. "And you are quite sure you can make the senate postpone the coronation of the prince?" he asked again.

"I don't have to remind you what that would mean for the future of humanity. We aren't ready to take to the stars".

He looked at the consul, giving him his most friendly and winning smile. The consul made a dismissive motion with his fat, sweaty hand.

"Of course I can my friend" he laughed "I have the senate in my pocket. They will do as I tell them to. Having or beloved prince's coronation postponed indefinitely will be as simple as… well as drinking wine!"

He held out the now empty glass, looking at the empty bottle. The prime minister smiled, taking the hint, and replaced the now empty bottle with another just like it

"well in that case let us celebrate or imminent victory"

He smiled and filled a glass for himself _'I hope you choke on it' _he thought while clinging his glass with that of the Consul.

"To many years of continued prosperity and wealth for the humanity, and for us"

The consul cheered, as the hovercar came in to land near the senate. The consul emptied his glass an exited the car. Cunningham shifted in his seat to shout to the man.

"with election coming soon it would be a shame for such an iconic proposition to be down voted. It wouldn't look well for the consul to be against popular opinion".

As the hovercar took off again, Cunningham felt quite satisfied with the look of discomfort on the fat consul's face. _'If he can no longer be relied upon to control the senate I will have to look for another person whose election campaign I can support'_ he chuckled to himself. He took another swig of the delicious wine as he thought about how easy it was playing the game of politics.

* * *

_April 3rd 2158. Empire city. 09:21. Terran standard time. At the senate chambers._

"… And therefore my honorable, fellow senators, I think that it is clear to all, that the prince is simply too young and inexperienced to rule. The tragic and untimely demise of his farther, rest his soul, has truly devastated the young boy as it has devastated his grieving subjects. It would be cruel to place upon him the mantel of Emperor after such a tragic loss".

The consul, now having spoken at some length, resumed his seat at the small podium facing the gathered senators. He received some calls of support and applause from the right side of the chamber, where his fellow party members were sat but otherwise the five hundred assembled senators remained quit. The chamber was completely circular in form, but the seats of the senators only took up half the entire room. Arranged in a crescent moon shaped amphitheater, with several levels, allowed all the senators to look at whoever spoke. The shape of the room also allowed the speaker to face all the senators more or less at the same time, without anyone, except those occupying the chairs on the raised dais behind him, looking at his back.

A few meters away from the center floor, there was a small podium upon which was a chair reserved for the consul, and a throne used by the emperor whenever he was attending the senate meetings. Along the wall, between the twisting columns, were red banners, hung from the roof and with sparkling rims and golden tassels on the bottom. On the banners were a golden eagle, its head looking sideways and its wings spread, its claws gripping two green laurels, crossing. Between the laurels, in golden letters were inscribed S.P.Q.T. Senatus Populusque Terranum: The senate and the people of Earth. Having heard the consul, the Speaker rose on his shaky legs. The man was truly ancient, almost a century and a half years old he had the honorable position of controlling the floor, choosing who had the word and controlling the unruly senators.

"The consul has put the motion on the floor… Who will second it?" his old voice croaked. Immediately some senator in the back, one of Connors cronies sprung up at seconded it. Leo Nemak was, with his twenty years, the youngest senator present, more than thirty years younger than the second youngest. But he was well on his way to becoming one of the most influential members of the progresionists party. Sat at the front seats, signifying that he was considered to be one of the foremost members amongst his group, he had a clear view of the Consul as he resumed his seat. He could read every miniscule twitch and move of the Consul and new when he was lying. Leo was exceptionally gifted in that matter and, using this gift, had risen through the ranks of his party. In just two years he had gone from an obscure and, to the other senators, very young boy from Luna, to one of the ruling forces in the senate. His 'Reduced arms production proposition' had miraculously been approved and he had since expanded his influence. So it was fair to say that Leo Nemak, was a force to be reckoned with. A force that the Consul, had not counted on. When the floor was available he rose to his fleet and spoke

"Honorable Speaker! I request the floor!" there was a moment of shuffling as all the senators turned to look at the young man. "The floor recognizes the senator of the second parish of Luna, Leo Nemak. You have the floor!" the speaker banged the long wooden quarterstaff in his right hand against the floor. Leo cleared his throat and spoke loudly so that his voice would carry to all the senators in the large room.

"Fellow senators, honorable members of this exalted assembly I believe that the most respectable Consul makes a fair point" murmurs arose from the ranks of the men and women assembled but he quickly continued "however I also believe that he fails to see the repercussions that his proposition would cause". He had their attention now. He could see the angered scowl that the consul kept hidden under the neutral expression he had honed through years of political struggles like this. He continued walking down the steps towards the podium as he spoke "The emperor is more than just a figurehead, a person. The emperor and the Imperial family reflects the very essence that humanity has stood for this last century" he was now on the podium. Fully visible to all the gathered senators "He is the embodiment of the Empire. Unity, singularity and strength. While the consul and others would say that he is too young, I say that he is perfect". He took a moment to see if the senators were still paying attention. Seeing that most were indeed listening intensely he continued, making gestures and swinging his arms theatrically as he walked along the edge of the Amphitheatre "The fact that we are even discussing if the Prince, A Tiberius no less! Is fit to rule, It's preposterous! He is a direct descendant of the first emperor Arthur Tiberius. He is related by blood to the men who built this empire! The men who uplifted us from the bloodthirsty barbarians we were. Clawing at each others throats, on the brink of annihilation by or own hands!" Several senators rose to their feet and cheered him on, as his voice grew louder and more confident. Taking his speech to the next level he saw his opportunity to make a risky attack on the consul and his party members. Leo saw his opportunity to use the divided senate for his gain. He turned around and theatrically pointed an accusing finger at the Consul, and then the seats occupied by his fellow conservatists.

"For too long the honorable consul and his respectable party members has held us back. By rejected the abolition of the 'midnight protocal', they have held us back for decades and now they seek to block or true emperors right to his throne". He turned back towards the senators sitting on the benches. He could see uncertainty on some of their faces. Hoping that he could persuade them he directed his next words towards them "I know that the emperor is young. But with youth comes vigor. He could usher in a new age. An age where humanity takes its rightful place amongst the stars. For us to deny the prince his throne simply because we are afraid is treasonous" he closed his fist in a gripping motion over his heart and looked pleadingly at the assembly. "we must not let the fear of cowards and old mean hold back our progression. If humanity does not have an emperor then our unity is broken. And we will quickly descend into bloody madness".

His voice grew more and more quit towards the end, but picked up again when he violently declared "Therefore I vote against the motion to postpone the coronation". Leo returned to his seat and slumped into his chair, almost unable to contain his smile. Many of the senators rose to their feet and shouted either encouragement or decrying his attack. Several of the gathered started shacking fists and yelling at each other and the Speaker had to call for silence several times before the assembly calmed down sufficiently for him to be heard. When everyone had finally resumed their seats and silence had returned his hoarse voice spoke up.

"The honorable senator Leo Nemak has spoken against the motion". He turned towards Connors and looked expectantly at him "Does the exalted consul offer a rebuttal?". The shocked Connors quickly regained his senses and rose to his feet.

"I will hardly offer this attack on my person and those of my honorable fellow senators any notice". He looked disapprovingly at Leo before continuing "However I would like to remind the gathered assembly that we are not here to talk about the abolition of the ancient edict, an edict that has stood for decades, but about the very real, and very immediate concern of our beloved emperor's heir and only son, and his fitness to rule". He sat back into his seat. Clearly believing that his influence would keep most of the senators in line, and support his proposition.

Waiting a moment to make sure that the consul, usually a man who would speak for hours if need be, had nothing more to say, the Speaker turned towards the assembly.

"If anyone has anything further to add to the discussion make yourself known!"

Since none arose to take the floor he banged the quarterstaff on the floor and announced

"The motion to postpone the coronation of crown prince Augustus Tiberius has been put to the floor by the Exalted Consul Norman Connors, Seconded by the honorable senator Kurt von Zürich. The honorable senator Leo Nemak has spoken against the motion. Those in favor, raise your hands!"

Several senators raised their hands. Amongst them was the consul and the vast majority of his party members. But also a few of the senators on the other benches supported them.

"Those opposed to the motion, raise your hands!"

Leo raised his hand. He looked around and was concerned when he was unable to see a difference. He turned expectantly towards the Speaker and awaited his judgment.

"With two hundred and forty four votes for, and two hundred and fifty seven against… The motion to postpone the coronation of the Crown prince is dropped".

Cheers and thunderous applause together with boo's and angry cries of denial sounded through the chambers as the senators either congratulated each other our decried the decision. Leo's back was pounded and his hand shaken numb by congratulating senators. He couldn't help but smile and nod while they complimented him and congratulated him on his victory. _God I love this, _he smiled while his multi-tool sent a pre-recorded message to Minister Victor Huntman. _He will be very happy when he sees this.._ He looked over at the consul, slumped in his chair, a look of utter defeat on his face.

* * *

_Somewhere on the borders of the Terminus systems. _

Arminius Vespasian's mandibles twitched in annoyance as he received the report from his communications officer. As captain of the Turian cruiser _'Vigilance'_ it was his job to monitor the Quarian fleets' movements and activities. He was far from pleased by what he heard. "How is it possible for a fleet of second-hand rust-buckets crewed by scavenging suit rats to evade some of the galaxy's best monitoring equipment available?" He rubbed his brow to try and ease the pressure building up. Despite their obvious superiority the Turian cruiser had lost sight of the Quarian fleet several times in the last few months. It could take days, sometimes weeks before they were able to locate the Quarians again. And Arminius Vespasian didn't like the idea of those thieving scum roaming unsupervised across the galaxy. The officer who was the unfortunate victim of his ire shirked away a little under his steely gaze.

"I'm sorry Captain, one minute they were there. The next they simply vanish".

Arminius dismissed the officer and turned around to gaze out the windows of his Cruiser. The Migrant Fleet had moved closer and closer to the uncharted regions of the galaxy. This unsettled Arminius a great deal. He would follow them if ordered to, but his jurisdiction officially ended were Citadel space did. _Maybe they are looking for a new world to settl_e? He scoffed at the thought. Like those scum deserved a world to call their home. After having released the Geth on the galaxy, no punishment was too harsh for them. He saw the confinement to their failing fleet as suitable punishment for their action. And he would make damn sure that they didn't ever pollute another planet with their presence. His eyes scouted across the vast emptiness of space as he searched for the fleet of beggars and thieves. _Not on my watch. Not while I'm breathing._

* * *

A/N

Hope you enjoyed it :) This is my first attempt at a fanfic. Or actually it is my first attempt at writing any literature at all. Constructive criticism is encouraged and appreciated. If there's any confusion regarding anything lore in this fic, please PM me and I will try and include it in my next chapter. Any suggestions are also greatly appreciated. The pace will pick up over time but for now it is going to be a bit slow.


	2. Chapter 2

_April 5th 2158. Empire city. 12:32. Terran standard time. At Tiberius Plaza._

_Am I a bad son? I know I should be sad. But I'm not. I'm just afraid. Does that make me a bad son? Am I a bad person?_ Young crown prince Augustus Tiberius looked out across the giant plaza.

He felt his heart pounding in his chest in trepidation and fear. Before him, gathered on the huge plaza were nearly four million citizens of Empire City. All of them gathered here to pay their last respects to their dead Emperor. He could see it all, from the steps of the senate building, standing in front of the ministers, generals, admirals, senators and other dignitaries who had come to bid farewell to their monarch, commander and leader. The sorrow that emanated through the gathering was almost tangible. Many of the men and women gathered in the plaza openly wept, wailing their sorrow to the skies and sharing it with all present. Order was only kept with the help of the gene enhanced super soldiers, the praetorian guard, and with the help of five full legions of legionnaires, almost a sixty thousand men and women, who stood in stark contrast against the gathered crowd. Clad in their blood red armor and holding their large rifles across their chests, their keen eyes scouting across the gathered masses. Searching for anything out of place, any threat to the emperor, or the gathered people.

Looking out across the city, the young emperor could see the nearest buildings were covered with people who, unable to attend the funeral in the plaza, had elected to climb the nearby towers and tenements to get a good view of the procession. The boulevards and streets leading to the plaza were likewise packed with thousands of citizens. The soldiers, trying to keep the way clear so the procession could continue without incident, formed a chain, arms linked, and steadily pushed back the mourners to make room for the nearing funeral procession. _I'm not ready for this, _the significance of his father's death hadn't really occurred to Augustus before some senator had said to him,

"You'll make a fine emperor my lord, you have the bearing and look of your old Farther, if you don't mind me saying your majesty".

He wasn't ready. Didn't feel like he would ever be ready. How did you prepare for something like this? How did you prepare a boy, just in his teens, to become the leader and sovereign of the single largest nation ever to have existed? He had immediately asked James, his personal VI, how many people currently inhabited the Sol-system, his empire. After a long break, the machine answered in his usual happy and cooperative voice.

"As of the twelfth hour, thirty-first minute, fifty-seventh second, and seventy-eight hundredth of a second on the 5th of April twenty-one, fifty-eight, there resides, on Earth, a recorded 24,987,640,854 men, women and children. A further 3,210,382 resides on various Bio domes on Luna, and 2,473,212 in the factory cities on mars. On the 284 occupied orbital stations circling Terra and other stellar satellites in the Sol-system there are a recorded 1,321,212 inhabitants. This brings the total numbers of inhabitants in the Sol-system to 24,994,645,660. Would you like me to surmise other information for you my lord?"

Augustus had felt like fainting right there. _By the gods. That many?_ He was only fourteen. How did they expect a teenager to rule so many people? To unite, protect and lead them? His insides hurt. He knew that it was selfish of him to think that way. He was supposed to be the next emperor. But he had never trained for this. That had always been his older brothers job. He remembered them fondly, had cried at both their funerals. His farther had told him to act like a prince. Had told him to be strong and not to show fear or sadness. He didn't cry now. It felt wrong. He wanted to cry. Wanted to show his grief. But somehow he held it back. Michael, his personal retainer and closest friend, had told him that he should wait until they were back in the palace. He could cry there. But not here. Not in front of his subject. He had to be there for them, lead them, help them in their grief.

"You aren't a boy anymore" he had said "And I'm sorry for that. But you have to become a man faster than anyone had intended".

Michael had been a close friend of his father. They had served in the army together. He had helped raise the tree boys, his brothers and him. Since his farther had never been around much, Michael had become a sort of replacement. The old man had always looked out for them. Especially after Augustus who had been the youngest. His brothers had both been much older than him. Titus had been 29 when he died. Nero had been 25. Titus had always been very serious. He had commanded the servants around the palace, and participated in his father's many stately banquets. But he had always had a soft spot for his younger brothers. He had made sure that they kept to their duties, did their homework. He was quite strict most of the time. But he could be kind when he needed to. Augustus remembered once, when he was very little, he had been sent to his room without supper for something he had done. Titus had sneaked in with his dessert. Making sure that his younger brother didn't fall asleep hungry.

Nero on the other hand, had always been something of a rebel. Often getting into trouble and punished by either his father or Michael for his mischievous behavior. But he was loved by the servants and the darling of the people. The tabloids would be full of his pictures, flattering or otherwise. Augustus had once caught him sneaking home after a night in town. Disguised as a servant he had left the palace and been out to tour the local pubs and bars. He had made Augustus promise not to tell. In return he had on several occasions taken him out into the city. Showing him how people lived without servants and retainers. Meeting the "real" people of Earth as he had said. It had all seemed like such a carefree time. _Not anymore._ Never again would he experience such freedom. From now on he was no longer a prince, or a boy, or a man. He was the Emperor. Not human, but something superior, stronger, better. Something that could rise above petty emotions and wanton feelings. He had to give up any ideas of happiness or comfort. He had to lead humanity. He had to do what was best for his subjects, his children.

Suddenly the grieving wails of the gathered crowd grew to a new height as the funeral procession, haven gone the entire ten kilometers from the palace to the senate building, arrived in the plaza. The procession was led by a thousand horsemen, dressed in shining armor, dragging the enormous wagon upon which, on a bed of laurels and flowers, was a white and gold open coffin. In it was the body of the emperor, clasping a long sword, with a serene look on his face. Dressed in his military uniform, medals and ribbons covering his chest, and with his long purple cloak hanging from his shoulders, he looked peaceful. The body of his farther would be put to rest under the forty feet high marble statue, built in his honor and in his likeness, that flanked the door of the senate. Like his father, and his grandfather, and in time Augustus and his decedents, he would remain close to the heart of the empire. And close to his people. The statue depicted a young, strong man looking out towards the horizon. A steely, but paternal, gaze looking out across his kingdom. The statue looked nothing like him, Augustus thought, he had never looked so young. _He was born old, tired, and conserned_.

Suddenly, he felt a strong hand squeeze his shoulder. He turned around and saw the face of the man he vaguely recognized as the Grand Marshal. He had red rims around his eyes, but his reassuring smile helped calm Augustus down a bit. He gestured towards the rostrum, placed upon a large podium. It was time for Augustus to hold his speech. Slowly, deliberately, the shaking and sweating boy walked up towards it. When he reached it, he climbed it, his foot almost slipping on the side, but he quickly covered the small mistake. As he looked out across the plaza he could see hundreds of cameras and pict recorders. This speech would be transmitted to every single human in the whole system. A horrifying thought. He had practiced it several times these last few days. But standing here, before all of humanity? He swallowed and began.

"Residents of Earth and the Sol-system, my beloved people, my grieving subject. Today we are gathered to bid farewell to my father, the great Markus Tiberius, the third emperor of mankind". At this the wailing rose again. He let them have a moment so he could collect his thoughts and continue. He felt the speech slipping away from him. The hours of practice suddenly completely forgotten.

"I… I share with you your grief and sorrow. For I lost not only my emperor, but also my father. A man whom I dearly loved and respected".

_Oh gods this I coming out all wrong. What was I supposed to say?_

"But we cannot allow the grief of the loss of such a great man to let us… to let us lose sight of the future".

He was improvising now. Saying things he felt appropriate. Pieces of speeches he remembered his farther had practiced. Things he had read. He could hear the nervous shuffle of some of the senators behind him. He then realized that the entire plaza had become silent. The people hanging on his every word.

"Our emperor, my father, left this world before his time. And so I am left to carry this burden. We all know how he always strived for humanity to do better. For us to become more than we were. Under his benevolent rule we have reached new heights of power and development. We have wealth and prosperity beyond anything any of us could ever have dreamed of. But he always strived for more. He always wanted his subject, his beloved children, to do better. He carried the burden that is the title of Emperor. But he carried it on broad shoulder and he walked with his back straight".

Augustus was sweating profoundly. His under-tunic was drenched in it. He didn't know where it came from. He was improvising. Making it up as he went along. Then he remembered something from one of his father's speeches. One he had never used but which seemed appropriate.

"In the end, it killed him. But I intend to carry on as he did. I will walk in my father's footsteps and together, my beloved subjects, we will reach heights even he had never conceived of. We will walk the stars and we will make our mark. For that will be the legacy of Emperor Markus Tiberius. That will be his final gift to humanity. And I intend to execute this, his last will, and lead us towards a new future. A bright dawn".

He held up his arms to signal that he had finished. He felt his eardrums burst with the roar from the crowds as they shouted and screamed. _I guess all those classes in rhetoric finally paid off, _he was still shacking and still felt like he had to violently empty the contents of his stomach. But at least it was over. He resumed his place in front of the officials, several of them either with mouths agape at the ambush they felt they had been subject to, or joining the crowds in their shouts of approval. He had an idea of what the speech referred to. His father had always dreamed of being the emperor that led humanity from Earth. But now, that fate had befallen him. And he intended to continue his father's work. He knew that he had made an enemy of some of the senators. But right now he couldn't care less. He needed to sit down, he needed some water, he needed to sleep. And most of all, he needed to wake up from this nightmare.

* * *

_April 5th 2158. Empire city. 23:26. Terran standard time. At the imperial palace. _

Connors emptied another glass of wine, starring daggers at the young emperors back. _You had to ruin it all didn't you, you little shit. You just couldn't leave well alone._ After having lost face in the senate, haven been ambushed by his fellow senators and that bastard, Leo Nemak, Connors had all but committed career suicide. And since the new emperor seemed to continue his father's course of forcing humanity to reveal themselves to the galaxy, it seemed that he only had one chance to rescue his drowning career in politics. He walked through the masses of guests, gathered at the wake in the imperial palace to commemorate the dead emperor, and unsteadily made his way towards were the young emperor was having a subdued discussion with some dignitary that was too far beneath Connors for him to bother learning the name or occupation of.

"… so that is h-how we'll be able to replace th-th-the hopelessly outdated Ea-Eagle pattern Frigates with the more a-a-able Hawk pattern ones, without losing a significant amount of fi-firepower or…". The dignitary was talking in a rush of words, stammering and stumbling over his syllables, probably overwhelmed by the fact that the emperor would even deign to speak to him. Connors cut right in front of him. Confident that the emperor would rather speak to a man of his position and stature than to some lowly plebian.

"AH my lord! May I offer you my most sincere condolences for the loss of your father. And may I congratulate you on your fine speech this afternoon. You managed to perfectly encompass all that your glorious father stood for with those eloquent words. I'm happy to know that you, my lord, will follow the footsteps of your father and lead humanity from the front". He flashed him his white, newly bleached teeth in a heartening smile.

"I thank you for your support, honorable Consul, and I assure you that I intend to keep the course planned by my beloved father". The young emperor gave a nod to the consul before trying to resume his previous conversation with the confused and eager looking dignitary. Connors quickly stepped in front of the man to get the boys attention.

"Not to sound doubtful or to sully the glorious image of your father, for whom I only held respect and love, but does your highness not plan to make his own mark?" The young man looked at Connors, his face a blank mask.

"While your father was a great and noble man he perhaps overestimated humanity". Connors saw the uncertainty in the boy's face. This was all going exactly as planned.

"One of your father's many strengths was his optimism for the sake of humanity. But his belief in us, I am sorry to say, was perhaps misplaced. Contrary to what he had hoped, humanity isn't mentally prepared for leaving Earth. We simply aren't ready. And you, as the intelligent young man you are have, of course, already seen this". He licked his lips as he saw the young man stumble, his eyes downcast as he thought about what Connors said.

"The senators, of course, are only interested in lining their own pockets and will push forward the abolition of the midnight protocol, just like your esteemed father. However while your father did it for the sake of humanity and the common good, the senators do it for the sake of their wallets. Let me tell you, it's a nest of vipers. They are constantly at each other's throats, clawing and biting. They are scheming and corrupt. It takes a man of experience to navigate those treacherous seas". He held out a hand towards the young emperor.

"Let me help you my lord. I have long sailed those dangerous waters and I would be honored to represent you in the senate. As your right hand man I'm sure we can keep those greedy vipers from destroying what your father built". He held his hand out expectantly, waiting for the boy to take it. To seal the deal. Augustus looked into Connors eyes. _That's right, I'm here to help you, you little runt._ It seemed that the boy had made up his mind when they were suddenly interrupted.

"My lord! Honorable consul! So this is where you have been hiding. I have been looking everywhere for you".

Seemingly from out of nowhere, the young senator Leo Nemak materialized besides the two._ Damn! So close, and now he is going to ruin it all! _

"I assure you honorable senator. His excellency and I have not been 'hiding'. We are simply having a civilized discussion about the future of the empire". He smiled at the young senator, but his eyes thundered at him.

"Indeed good sir. The Consul and I were discussing political matters of great concern to the honorable consul" Augustus said in a friendly tone. "I do apologize but I do not recognize you from anywhere sir. You say you are a senator?"

Nemak bowed low before the emperor and said in his usually fast cheeky manner.

"My most sincere apologies your highness. I am Leo Nemak. Senator of the second parish of Luna and son of Leonard Nemak, the owner of the 'Spartan arms' factories".

The emperor face lit up in a smile.

"I recognize the name. Your father was a good friend, and staunch supporter of my predecessor. The house of Nemak is in good standing with the house of Tiberius."

Nemak seemed to be very pleased with himself, glancing at the fuming Consul. Feeling the conversation slip away from him the consul quickly tried to redirect the flow.

"About my proposition sire. I am your most Leal subject and only wish to lend my support to your person and…" he was immediately interrupted by the meddling young senator.

"And what proposition might that be my most esteemed Consul if you don't mind me asking?"

Before the Consul could dismiss him with some half-truth the Emperor quipped in.

"The honorable Consul wishes to represent me in the Senate. We seem to share a concern regarding the future of humanity".

The consul smiled at Nemak. _That's right, he's mine so you can just sod off. _However the senator didn't seem deterred in the least.

"Why would you need a representative your highness? Your father attended almost all the senate meetings personally and you, as a spitting image of him, would surely not neglect your duties?"

The emperor's face resumed a politely neutral expression as he thought about that. Connors heart felt like it was gripped by a claw as he studied the young emperor's face as he thought about that. Finally the boy looked up and declared.

"I would like that. Indeed I would like that very much. Perhaps I will appoint a representative if ever the burden of attending the senatorial meeting should become too heavy to bear. But until then I shall strive to uphold the ideals of the Empire and represent the people in the senate along with the esteemed senators".

He nodded to the Senator and the consul who both bowed before the Emperor as he turned to leave. Connors could hardly contain his rage. He wanted to hit the damned bastard of a senator. He wanted to strangle the foolish boy who was playing emperor. They had cost him everything, his one opportunity to regain his standing in the Senate, lost. The senator even had the nerve to openly smile at him as he left. His hands shook and he desperately griped a bottle of wine from a passing servant, and took a generous swig. He stormed out through the gates, searching for the exit, stumbling on the large marble stairs as he walked past the swarm of guests and rows of guards. When he was finally outside he threw the bottle against the white walls of the palace. It shattered, spreading wine and broken glass everywhere. _Damn it. Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it…_

* * *

_April 6th 2158. Empire city. 01:08. Terran standard time. Onboard the Cruiser 'Calebor' orbiting Mars. _

"Engines online and responding sir!"

"Shields powered up and ready sir!"

"Forward torpedo tubes loaded and ready sir!"

"All hands in lower decks report ready sir!"

"All essential personnel reporting ready sir!"

A middle aged man, with the ranking pins of a lieutenant, marched up to captain Bernard Comdell and slapped a fist to his left chest.

"Sir, all stations report ready! Awaiting your orders".

Comdell looked out across his ship. From the CIC he had a good view of the men and women under his command. He enjoyed watching them swarm around the deck. He was used to the controlled chaos that flowed around him when he was in command of a battleship. He had served onboard dozens of ships in his career, and on each of them it had been exactly the same. There had always been that element of chaos to the orderly proceedings. But the 'Calebor', was not a normal ship.

"Load power into engines and prepare for sub-space transit".

The lieutenant saluted and marched away.

"Prepare to initiate transit! Prepare to initiate transit!"

The crew bolted to their respective seats. Preparing for the, sometimes, violent transit from real-space to sub-space. The preferred method of transport for Terran vessels. Comdell had always marveled at the simplicity of the answers with which humanity's scientist had successfully circumvented the use of the aliens "mass effect" technology by inventing their own, and in his opinion, superior way of travel.

"Engines charged and ready sir! Awaiting your order to start!"

He didn't understand much of it, but then he didn't have to understand it to appreciate its potential. He had simply been explained that since the universe was cone shaped, with them occupying the top most layer where the distance is greatest, they could travel the distance between stars faster than light by opening a portal into sub-space. The lowest point in the universe and therefore the place where the distance was smallest. In essence they made a wormhole, where they could then navigate between the stars many times faster than light, and then return to real-space wherever they wanted. However, since most ships could only remain in sub-space for a couple of hours at a time before the engines overloaded, then having to wait for a few hours while they cooled off, they had to make the jump precisely to the point that they were needed. Once out of sub-space, the engines would need a minimum of four hours before initiating another transit. The transportation method was quick, simple but lacked one key ingredient. He signaled his helmsman who then proceeded to roar yell across the intercom.

"Initiate transit!"

Immediately everyone on board felt their stomachs churn and heave and a pressure building up behind their brows. The exterior view from the ship changed from a beautiful vista of the Sol-system, to numerous stars shooting by at an incredible speed. Although they only flew in circulations around the system he felt like he could feel the huge distance they were traveling.

"All systems online and operational. Engines green. All hands reporting ready".

He massaged his brow. The pain in his head and stomach dwindling after the transit.

"All right everybody listen up!"

Everyone dropped what they were doing to look at the captain. Awaiting a briefing, or further orders.

"As you all know by now, this cruiser is not a standard piece of flying steel and good hopes. This is a special ship designed to remain in sub-space while it fires its weaponry."

There was a collected intake of breath. He could see the disbelief on their faces. As a seasoned Captain working for the ministry of science in the C.E.W.D* sub-department, he was used to all the stupid, crazy and often suicidal experiments that the ministry had them do to make their ships a little better, a little faster and just a little bit more deadly. The high pay didn't help much compared to the high fatality rate. But this was something else. Everyone new that firing your weapons while in sub-space meant that you would most likely hit yourself as the round was pressed back into the barrel.

"We will test out the new weapons system against a retired destroyer with upgraded shields in orbit over Mercury. The simulations have shown that the systems should work excellently, but remember! This is the first field testing of this weapon. So any data must be recorded and saved. That is all. Resume your posts!"

He turned back to his view-screen. On it was a real-time image of their target, a large derelict destroyer from the beginning of the human empire. Reinforced with extra powerful shields and built to withstand an incredible amount of firepower, this would be the ultimate test of the new weapon. If the trial was successful they would continue with more and more dangerous test and task. Testing the weapons versatility and utility in different situations and under different amount of duress. Although he had said that the simulations had been good, everyone new that with technology created by the C.E.W.D it was mostly trial and error. In case of an error they would most likely not live to report it. _All for the sake of humanity._

"Sir, we have locked forward torpedoes on target. Ready to fire."

He looked back at the woman hiding in the shadows behind the CIC. She was a representative of the Department of science, or so she claimed, here to oversee the entire operation. He did feel a little nervous with her here. It was like she wasn't interested in the test at all. He was almost certain that she was watching him and his men. Evaluating them. And he had his suspicions about her.

"On my mark, fire torpedo 2 and 3."

He looked at the women. Making sure that everything was going as planned. He noticed the way she was typing on her multi-tool. The dark red glow on her wrist, illuminating her face, standing in stark contrast to her dark uniform. She didn't look like a science type. If thirty-five years as an officer in the Imperial fleet had taught him anything, it was how to spot something out of the ordinary. The way she stood, her half hidden parade-ground stance, the way her back was straight even though she was relaxing, and the subtle way her arm twitched whenever an officer of rank addressed her. She was military if ever he saw one. But he decided to play along. No reason to make any enemies about something that was above his pay grade.

"Everything ready ma'am. Awaiting your command".

She didn't answer but simply continued typing. When he was beginning to think that she hadn't heard him she looked up and nodded. He turned around to face down the rows of deck hands and officers, all staring at him intently, waiting for the signal. After a few seconds, that felt like an eternity, he roared.

"Fire torpedoes!"

Instantly the stillness and quit that had fallen across the ship in the interlude vanished. Everything was a flurry of action and motion. Men and women running everywhere, people shouting headings, course and speed. To make the test more demanding the cruiser was moving as fast as it could go, making the chance of a miss greater. Controlled by VIs it would make every effort to evade the blow.

"Torpedoes away!"

The ship shook. Everyone held their breaths. When a few seconds had passed, and the ship didn't seem to be going up in a ball of flames, the entire crew cheered. _Well that was the first stage. _He turned towards the gunner, who was monitoring the torpedoes progress.

"Gunner Swenson! How are the torpedoes?"

Gunner Swenson watched his display intently. Starring at the screen, waiting for it to tell him what he wanted to know.

"They are still in sub-space… It doesn't look like the… Wait! They just left sub-space, they are on course."

This time the entire ship cheered. He had transmitted the message over the intercom, letting everyone hear the good news. It had never been done before. Any ammunition fired in sub-space would normally be pressed back into the barrel, which would destroy the guns, and subsequently the ship, but in this case they had manage to not only fire the torpedoes, but make them materialize in real-space. _Once again humanity has done the impossible_. He smiled at the thought of his races ingenuity. Looking at the screen he saw the destroyer in orbit over Mercury. Once the torpedoes left sub-space it was only a matter of time before the auto-targeting-system would guide them towards their goal. And so he waited, the seconds ticking away.

Then he saw two blue sparks speeding towards the moving target. When they were almost right on top of the of the ship, one of the torpedoes suddenly veered off and dropped towards the planet, its targeting system damaged from the voyage he guessed. The other hit the strong shields of the destroyer. There was a spectacular explosion as the shields cut out, but otherwise the ship was intact. He turned towards the woman, a big smile on his lips.

"Test complete ma'am. I'd say it was a stunning success."

The woman smiled back.

"Indeed it was captain. Now if you will excuse me I must return to my offices, I have a report to make."

"Congratulations men. The drinks are on me tonight. Bring her back to real-space"

He made a salute, noticing the twitch of her arm, before she turned and left. _Weird, would have thought she would have been happier, having done the impossible. _He put the thought from his mind and went over to congratulate his crew.

"Well done everybody. The drinks are on me tonight. Now bring her back into real-space"

* * *

Anne Ferdanow, of the military internal investigations agency, was indeed quite pleased with the results. That they hadn't all been blown to smithereens had been the best she could have hoped for, but that the weapons system actually worked, albeit with a few minor details still to fix, spoke volumes of her continued work. Her quiet observations would make for quite the report. Captain Comdell had performed admirably, his men too for that matter. Although the test was a success, it was only one in a long row of many that would be performed, to get a satisfactory result. The right people, the right equipment, and the right leadership, that was what she and her colleagues were looking for. Only the best of the best for the new sub division that had discreetly been formed under the Imperial navy. Something mysteriously labeled the "Dönitz initiative". The pressure behind her brow and the lurching of her stomach told her that they had returned to real-space. She made another note on her tool as she descended towards the hanger bay. Indeed, her superiors would be very pleased.

* * *

C.E.W.D: Contra-extraterrestrial-weapon-designs.

A/N

Hi everyone. I would just like to take this opportunity to thank all those reviewers who have helped me improving my story. They are all greatly appreciated :) Since many of you wrote about the long blocks of text, I have tried to severely reduce their size. Hope everyone felt that this chapter was more comfortable to read. Please, if you have any further advice or suggestions don't hesitate to review. Constructive criticism is the only way for me to improve so feel free to give some pointers and advice. Next chapter will deal heavily with politics and negotiations. I'm afraid that first contact may be another chapter away for all of you who are impatiently waiting for humanity to get out there, but fear not! It is approaching. Since there was a question regarding the technology of the Empire of Man this last bit became a bit heavy with it. I'm no techie but I hope that you can forgive me for any inaccuracies regarding physics and I hope it gave you all a sense of how the human technology compares to that of the Council races. Until next time :)


	3. Chapter 3

_April 9th 2158. Empire city. 06:19. Terran standard time. The imperial palace._

Walking through the palace garden, Augustus could not help but feel content for the first time in days. Since the burial of his father the plans for his coronation had been drawn, redrawn and then scraped half a dozen times. He knew that the committee would make it and extraordinarily pompous affair, compared to his father's burial. In accordance with the wishes of the late emperor his funeral had been a quiet, dignified event. In contrast his coronation would be an enormous parade with legions of men, fleets of frigates and armies of musicians. It was all a ridiculous farce, but it was out of his hands. The people needed something, a party or such, something to lift their moods after all these days of mourning.

Picking up a delicate white rose, he noticed the armor of a praetorian guard through the thick bushes of genetically modified flowers. Despite them hiding out of sight he knew that they were around, and in numbers, to protect their emperor from harm. Despite the serene look of the garden, with its trees, bushes and fruit trees, many of them already carrying ripe fruits despite the early season, he knew that the garden was cunningly designed to also be a defensible position, in case of an attack. Build in several tiers and with towers overlooking the garden, giving a three-sixty degree overlook of the walkways and paths leading to and from the garden, it was a cleverly designed easily defendable kill-zone.

Looking up from his flowers he could see Kurt Von Kiel, the leader of the moderate party, striding down the path towards him. Flanked on either side by praetorian guardsmen the man looked very small. But Augustus new that at this moment senator Kiel was perhaps the most important man to have walked up that path in the last couple of days. He potentially held the future of humanity in his palm.

"Senator Kiel! I am delighted that you would meet me at this early hour."

The senator had a big smile on his face as he walked up to Augustus. The two guardsmen disappeared between the bushes and trees, but he had no doubt that they were close by and would step in if need be.

"Your majesty I am honored that you would request my presence. I am ever your Leal servant."

Augustus had only been emperor a few days, but he was already growing sick and tired of how people addressed him. _If they want to talk they should talk. Not hide behind their 'respect' and 'love' of me. It is getting tiresome._

"Yes I must admit that I find myself in need of your assistance."

Augustus hated to play this game. But he needed the help of the senator. After his coronation he was expected to propose a royal edict at the senate, one that would decide the future of humanity. What he had in mind was risqué, dangerous and, if he failed, would stall humanity's progress for decades to come.

"Well I am always happy to assist the crown in any way I can."

The senator, as the leader of the moderates, was a very influential man. Augustus' sources had told him that the senator kept his people on a tight leash. As the smallest party the moderates had to use their votes wisely. In matters where simple majority was needed the moderates could often tip the scales in the senate. Especially now that the conservatives only had a small majority of senators. And now that the progresionists were catching up every vote counted. But the shifting loyalties of the moderates meant that they were often regarded as being unpredictable, or untrustworthy.

"As you are well aware I am expected to hold a speech at the senate latter today. I intend to use the occasion to suggest certain changes to the royal edicts."

Now all the cards were out. Senator Kiel was, by no account, a stupid man. After the speech he had held at the funeral there could be little doubt as to what he was speaking of. He knew that the senator had supported his father in the past. But he had certainly gained some profit by doing so. So now he only needed to know one thing. His price.

"I would be very disappointed if the senate was unsupportive of my proposition. However I would be very grateful towards any senator who would show his support."

He smiled at the senator who was idly wandering about the nearby flowerbeds. His face was a neutral mask and if he had heard anything Augustus had said, he did not show it. He plucked a green apple from a nearby tree, studying it intensely as he finally answered the young Augustus. He made sure not to sound as if he knew what Augustus was suggesting.

"It must be quite the proposition if you need the support of a lowly senator like me sire. May I enquire as to the nature of these changes to the royal edicts? And more importantly I would like to know how the gratitude of the palace, compares to the gratitude of the senate?"

So that was the score. Connors had made him an offer, and now he had to outbid him. _Well, good thing I didn't come unprepared. _Knowing what Kiel was really interested in, Augustus chose to skip the long explanation of the changes he had in mind and go right to the rewards.

"As you probably know, the honorable consul has made some political errors lately. The senate, indeed his own party members, are turning on him. With elections coming soon it is certain that the chair of the consul will be lacking an occupant. While I as emperor am not partial to any member of the exalted assembly I would, nevertheless, be very grateful to those who would support me. Indeed I believe I would even go so far as to support a candidate for the office of consul."

The senator raised a brow at this. Otherwise he gave no indication whether or not he was interested in the proposal. It wasn't something that Augustus was used to. He wondered if he had crossed some invisible line, said or done something wrong. Kiel was a hard man to read, and an even harder politician. He had personally led the moderates from a small unknown party of no importance at all, to becoming a large group of seasoned politicians who, more often than not, set the political order. He had made many friends on both sides of the senate and was, perhaps, the only man who could help Augustus realize his plan. Most of the progresionists already supported him, the rest had been forced to do so. Especially their leader, Raul Antonio, had been a hard nut to crack. Assured that the next election would see his party become the biggest in the senate, he had set his eyes on the office of consul. It had taken all of Augustus political prowess, and some incriminating picts and recordings, to persuade him to support a candidate of his choosing.

Finally senator Kiel took a big bite of the apple, and smiled at the emperor as he chewed. He spoke through the mouthful of genetically modified apple.

"My lord, you can always count on the support and the loyalty of your senators. I will strive to assist you in any matter that you may need and will advise my honorable colleagues to do the same."

Augustus felt a silent sigh escape him. As the senator took his leave he couldn't help but feel glad that the man would depart from him so quickly, and not stay to take up more of his diminishing time in the garden. It had only been about fifteen minutes after the senator left, time that he had used to relax in the garden, before Michael found him.

"Augustus, it is time."

Augustus sighed loudly. He knew that this would be an important and tiring day. Perhaps it would be the longest day of his life. He followed Michael out of the garden, towards the chamber where he would change forever from a young boy, into the Emperor of mankind.

* * *

_April 9th 2158. Empire city. 09:32. Terran standard time. The imperial palace Northern side, facing the Grand plaza._

It was quite the display. The young emperor was holding his coronation speech in front of more than two hundred thousand legionnaires and an uncountable number of citizens. The parade had been grand. Regiments of men, legions of red armored legionaries and tanks and APCs by the thousands filling passed the awed populace and the young emperor. Squadrons of frigates with whole wings of bombers and fighters had flown low over the city to give the citizens a great spectacle. Fireworks sprouted from the roofs of nearby buildings, banners hung from every building, no expenses had been spared from making this a day that the populace would remember.

The northern side of the palace was perhaps the most grandiose and decorated side. Facing the grand plaza, through which crossed the gargantuan Arthur Boulevard, the white and golden façade with the hundreds of grand white steps leading up to the enormous gates, with a red and golden banner on every step, made a dazzling sight .The plaza was the largest in the world, easily twice the size of the Tiberius plaza ten kilometers to the north. The boulevard alone was more than a thousand feet wide and ran the entire fifty kilometer length of the island. Designed for military parades, and of course, coronations, the place could hold many millions of soldiers and citizens. No less would suffice at such an auspicious event.

Leo Nemak however, wasn't interested in any of this. Although it was grand, and a magnificent show, he had a lot on his mind. This was all just a façade, and a good one at that, but a façade none the less. The real games would begin soon after the emperor's coronation. His sources had told him that Augustus had made a deal with Senator Kiel. He had, of course, already been told by his foreman that he was expected to support a legislation that the emperor would propose before the senate this afternoon. It was obvious that Antonio was scared, as his source had said the emperor had some dirt on him, and Antonio needed his help in making sure that the party all voted in favor of the proposal. Leo had made sure that his prize wasn't too high, he had simply demanded to be made party foreman by the next election. Antonio had been ready to explode with rage, but had agreed in the end. Whatever young Augustus had got on him, it must have been interesting stuff. He smiled despite himself. Never before had a man as young as him been made party foreman. He had risen through the ranks, and he had become one of the most powerful men in the empire. Of course, it all depended on the emperor succeeding.

Augustus finished his speech and the crowd roared their approval. What followed was a long row of more boring speeches from first the consul, on behalf of the senate, then the prime minister, on behalf of the different ministries, then the Grand marshal followed by the Grand admiral and finally the First cleric of the assembled temples of earth could place the crown, recently refitted, on the young man's brow, declaring him sole emperor and monarch of the Empire of Man.

Nemak roused himself from his half slumber as the coronation came to an end. The members of the senate started filling out, heading towards the senate. It was difficult, the streets were packed with people and skycars filled the sky, making it impossible to reach the senate no matter what transport they used. The praetorian guard did their best to clear a way for them, armored shuttles transporting the esteemed senators through the air, and APCs on the ground. Still it took more than two hours before they were all assembled in the senate.

It took another hour before the emperor arrived. Driving all the way in an open-toped car so the people could get a glance of their new emperor. The assembly was getting restless when he marched into the senate and assumed his place in front of the throne. He held up his arms to call for silence as the senators sat down and impatiently waited for the man to speak. Augustus then held up his left hand, palm forward, and held his right hand over his heart.

"Honored senators, members of this exalted assembly! I stand before you now as your new emperor and monarch. I swear that I will uphold the ideals of the empire, and always adhere to the decisions of this assembly. Do you accept me as the singular leader of humanity?"

There was a chorus of affirmations before the emperor resumed a more neutral pose. Now with the formalities dispensed with, they could get to what they had all waited to hear.

"Senators, I stand before you not only as the leader of humanity, but also as a concerned citizen. None of us wants to admit it, but Earth is failing."

There were murmurs amongst the senators. They had little doubt as to what the Emperor would propose, but this was a new angle. Usually his father would mention how much humanity had accomplished, and how much they could gain from leaving Earth.

"The planet is overpopulated, our mines are running empty, the dockyards are struggling to build ships with the resources available and the economic development is decreasing. Our development as a nation is stalling. Gentlemen, action is required. Under my father we could choose to travel to the stars. Back then we had the resources, the economy and the infrastructure to support the growing populace. Now, we need to travel to the stars. We no longer have the luxury of choice. And therefore honored senators I propose the cancelation of the royal edict enacted under my predecessor, my great grandfather Arthur Tiberius, and that we commence the colonization of foreign system."

He sat down and numerous senators clapped, albeit reluctantly, before the Speaker called for silence. Leo had known that he would use this more aggressive scare tactic. It was highly exaggerated, but it was the truth. The Sol-system was no longer enough to sustain the human populace. It wasn't as bad as the Emperor had said, but most of the senators didn't know that.

"His exalted majesty Emperor Augustus Tiberius had put the motion to the floor. Does anyone second the motion?"

Leo Nemak stood up to second it. The Speaker acknowledged him and said aloud.

"Leo Nemak, senator of the second parish of Luna has seconded the motion. Does anyone speak against it?"

Without missing a heartbeat the consul stood up and said in a dramatic voice.

"I Consul Norman Connors speak against the motion and request the floor!"

No one was the least bit surprised at that. Indeed he was expected to be against it. _Now what will that old snake have up his sleeve._ Leo thought that he must have something, anything to trump the emperor. The consul was not a stupid man, and he had most likely learned not to underestimate the Emperor or the progresionists. So now they all had to wait and see what he had in store for them.

"My fellow senators, it grieves me that his majesty seems so ill informed. Indeed one would think that he was trying to deceive us."

He walked down to the floor and started pacing along the rows of men and women.

"I have it from the highest authority that or beloved home, or Earth, can easily hold many billions more. Or fleets have never been bigger, or weapons have never been deadlier and or factories have never produced more."

Leo was thoroughly disappointed. It seemed that the consul didn't have an ace up his sleeve after all.

"We have never been richer or more powerful. Yet still it seems that some people would jeopardize it all. Just to get even more rich and to receive even more power."

He shook his head at the gathered assembly.

"It saddens me that in this day and age, greedy men and narcissists seem to rule. That ancient edict was set in place to ensure our protection. To protect our home, our families. And you would risk it all for the sake of profit! I wish that I could use my consular veto. But alas, as it is our beloved emperor who have presented the proposition I am unable to do so. I can only hope that my esteemed colleagues will make the right choice."

Leo noticed the half hidden smile on the consul's face. Surely he would know that his speech would not persuade many of the senators. So why was he smiling? Leo started feeling as if the situation was getting out of hand. Something was up. After resuming his seat the Speaker banged his staff against the hard floor.

"The honorable consul has spoken against the motion. Does anyone else request the floor?"

No one stood to request the floor. The entire chamber was silent. They had had this vote many times, but it seemed that everyone present felt like this time would be different. Perhaps it was the young emperor sitting in his father's chair, perhaps it was the resent failures of the once so influential consul.

"Then let us vote. As this is a royal edict, a two thirds majority is needed to cancel it, with the emperors approval of course. All those in favor!"

Nemak and all of his party members raised their hands. He looked over expectantly at the moderates and felt a cold hand close around his stomach as he saw none of the hands of the moderates being raised. _That two timing bastard! He sold us out! _He felt uncomfortable, he felt confused, he felt angered, and he felt betrayed. Looking at the emperor he could see the same expression of betrayal on the young man's face. The consul on the other hand had to hide his grin behind his fist. Trying desperately not to smile at this 'unfortunate' turn of events. Leo searched his mind. _There must be something, ANYTHING I can do. Think Leo Think! _He needed time, but there wasn't time. _What can I do what can I do? This is going all wrong. The snake was supposed to help us! How could he stab us in the back like that? _Leo was sweating. His whole career was at stake. If he lost then…

"All those opposed to the…"

"HONORED SPEAKER!"

The entire senate whipped around to stare up at the young emperor, now standing, mouth wide open. Never had anyone ever interrupted a vote in such a way. It was unheard of! Augustus mouth worked to form words that wouldn't come out. He needed an excuse, he needed to save face.

"I… I believe that… that considering the severity of the proposal and… and with the tiresome activities the honorable senators has endured during the day it… it uhmm… it would be only right and proper to give the honored assembly time to deliberate their votes. After all, this is the future of all of humanity we are speaking of."

The entire assembly, most of all the poor speaker, looked baffled. Never in almost a century of imperial and senatorial rule had this happened. The speaker didn't know what to do.

"I speak only out of concern for the honorable servants of the people. In such a matter, deliberation is required."

The speakers nodded, apparently buying it, he then proceeded to bash the quarterstaff hard into the floor.

"His exalted imperial majesty has requested a short respite on behalf of the senate. The assembly will reconvene in exactly one hour!"

He hit the staff against the floor again, and then headed towards the doors. As if a magic spell had been broken, all the senators stood up and slowly filled out, many of them still with a look of unbelief all over their face. Leo immediately headed towards senator Kiel who was talking with some other senator near the back of the room.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?"

Kiel immediately dismissed the man with whom he was talking before he turned to Leo, a large white-toothed smile on his face,

"I am sure I have not the least idea of what you are speaking."

Leo wanted to punch the man. But he restrained himself. He knew that it was a simple question of 'how much'.

"We had a deal!"

Kiel simply smiled. Looking as if he was having a pleasant discussion with a close friend.

"Deals change. Sometimes something better comes along. A good businessman knows when a deal turns sour."

Leo fumed. So that was the game. Someone had overbid them. Couldn't be the Consul. He didn't have much to offer that Augustus hadn't already given him.

"Look lets cut the bull Kiel. How much? What? When? Give me something here."

Immediately his smile vanished, replaced with a serious expression that Leo knew well. It was the same face his father had used when he and his partners had arrived at the finale stage of negotiations. Pricing.

"I want my brother to have a seat in the senate at the next election."

"Easy. What else?"

He knew that this wasn't what he was after. It was only a small improvement to his current price, but one he could get himself.

"And I want my uncle appointed to the inner council".

So, that was the catch.

"I am not familiar with the current position of your uncle. Who might he be?"

Senator Kiel shrugged.

"He is an employee within the department of economy. He has previously been employed directly under the minister, he currently leads the under-department of construction of infrastructure in the lower Asian peninsula He has a very fine track record. I imagine he would make a good minister of Colonization."

Leo couldn't believe the nerve. To ask, no demand a place within the inner council! He couldn't do that.

"You ask too much senator."

Kiel shrugged again and turned to leave. Before he had walked too far Leo grabbed his shoulder.

"Maybe I can negotiate him to be appointed governor of a colony."

Kiel lifted an eyebrow. It wasn't a place within the council. But it was influential. And very lucrative. Kiel stuck out his hand and Leo gratefully shook it.

"It seems I have a few senators to talk to." Kiel said before he took his leave. Leo quickly contacted Augustus. With a quick message he informed him that he had negotiated with Senator Kiel. He didn't dare write anymore, in case the message was read by prying eyes. He could only hope the emperor would understand.

As the senate was reconvening Leo saw the Consul, still with a smile on his face, and had to hold back a grin of his own. _We haven't won yet. The snake might still double-cross us. _When all the senators were finally back in chamber the speaker slapped his wooden staff against the worn floor.

"The senate is back in session. We will again vote on the abolishment of the midnight protocol enacted under Emperor Arthur Tiberius. Two thirds majority is needed to abolish this royal edict. All those in favor!"

Leo couldn't help but feel a little fearful at this. If Kiel double-crossed them again then they wouldn't be able to stave off the inevitable defeat.

All the progresionists raised their hands. Looking over at the moderates his heart leaped when he saw them raise their hands. Indeed a good deal of the conservatives pointed their hands in the air as well. Apparently Kiel's influence was more widespread than he had initially thought.

Looking over at the Consul he couldn't help but feel a great sense of satisfaction at seeing the look of horror on his face. _Checkmate._

"All those opposed!"

Relatively few held up their hands. The consul included.

"With four hundred and seventy-eight for, and one hundred and twenty-three against… The royal edict enacted under Arthur Tiberius, the first emperor of mankind, formally known as the midnight protocol, is retracted."

Leo felt a powerful rush. They had done it. By the gods they had done it! This was history in the making. Humanity would leave Earth, their home, their prison. Many of the senators began to shout in exaltation. This was the moment a hundred years of unity and shared progress had led to. Augustus stood up and received a cheer from almost every gathered senator. Even those opposed to the proposition began to cheer despite themselves. No matter what they had believed, the edict had been cancelled, and human colonization was a reality. It was only a matter of days before the first ships would leave earth. He could see a mixture of feelings on the face of every senator. Happiness, frustration, hope, fear, even terror. _Well this is it. We did it. Galaxy here we come. _

* * *

_April 9th 2158. Empire city. 14:50. Terran standard time. Tiberius plaza._

He had to give it to him, he was good. The prime minister looked across the packed plaza for the second time in a week. The emperor had manage to force the retraction of the old edict, for which the minister was still baffled, he had even managed to win the dog, Senator Kiel, back on his side in the last minute. He had thought that the senator wouldn't be audacious enough to double-cross him as well. But that served him right for underestimating the ambition of some people he guessed.

"… with the senators of the esteemed assembly we have recently, through rigorous debate and negotiations, deemed it an appropriate time for the long standing edict, known to you as the midnight protocol… to be redacted…"

The roars of the crowd shook the street. It was deafening. He knew how to please the crowd. His father had never been a great speaker, as far as he was concerned, but the young Augustus was quite gifted in the field. Perhaps it was time to reevaluate his worth as the leader of the Empire. He had thus far proven to be a shrewd politician, his sources had informed him of his meetings with several senators prior to the meeting, and his young age meant that he could be manipulated in a certain direction over the course of the coming years.

"… to establish the new frontiers of the empire, and its colonies we will need several volunteers. We have already set up enrolment offices at every recruitment office throughout the empire. If you have any questions regarding your future as one of the frontrunners of the empire…"

The plans for the colonization had been taken out and dusted off. They had also needed to name it. Something appealing but dramatic. Something to give it a ring of urgency and importance. In the end they had settled on calling it "operation Exodus". They had coupled the name with colonization plan number XVII. The planned called for the colonization of seventy-eight planets in thirty-two systems. Most of them were simple class four or tree planets. Settled for the amount of resources they were suspected to contain. Few were class one or two, settled as population centers. Of course, it was all highly speculative. The few probes sent and the one or two research ships allowed to leave the system every year for testing and surveying had given only short glimpses and partial information about the planets. However the prime minister was hopeful. He might not have supported the legislation but now that it was a reality it was only sensible to go with it. He had already invested a sizable piece of his fortune in the colonization of a planet that looked promising.

"… and additional funds and resources allocated to the colonies with the possibility for all interested to buy shares in the respective colony. Any families who would travel to these planets will receive a starting packet with an additional amount of denarii proportionate to the number of family members…"

Of course, there was a great deal of military assigned to protect these colonies and convoys. Mostly as a show of strength and reassurance since they really didn't have a clue as to what was lurking in the deep darkness of empty space. A full twenty legions and one hundred regiments of imperial line infantry had been assigned as protection. Indeed almost half of the Terran defense fleet had been assigned as escort to the fleets of transports that would soon leave Earth.

"… operation Exodus will need the masses of Earth to stand together. We all have a part in this. From Lowly production line worker or miner, to the governor and the soldiers and legionnaires. All most work, hand in hand for this to be successful. I know that some of you are scared, and some of you do not agree with our decision. But it is nonetheless the reality we all must face…"

Indeed it all felt quite like an adventure. He had even had his eyes on the planet designated T1-IX. It was a class one garden world, remarkably similar to the landscapes in Florida. He had already bought the rights to keep a sizeable portion of land there, in hope of building a summer retreat. _Yes. An adventure indeed_. He smiled despite himself. This might work out well for him after all.

* * *

_April 11th 2158. New york. 16:32. Terran standard time. New York space transit station, shuttle pad Nr 23._

Erik Mocard was nervous. He clutched the few belongings he had been allowed to bring through the heavy security. He was sweating, he was scared. But he was also exhilarated. He was going to space! Even better he was going to a different planet! He couldn't even imagine it. He couldn't wrap his head around it. It was amazing, he was a frontier. Like the cowboys of old he would settle the unknown. He had received a brochure from the recruiter, and the money promised. He couldn't believe it when he was handed two thousand denarii. Teo thousand denarii! He had never had that much money before. It wasn't that he was poor. He just hadn't really done a lot of work in his life. With a relatively short education, and no skills to speak of, he had applied for the legionnaires. But he hadn't been good enough. He crested the top of the stairs and saw the ship that would take him to the stars.

At almost three kilometers in length, the colonization ships were in the medium range of human ships. Designed to land and serve as a hospital, military base, bureaucratic headquarters and communication station for the colony it would eventually reach, the ship was instrumental in the first wave of the colonization effort. It had been built in the late 2140s were the prospects of colonization had looked very real and was both tested extensively on the other planets in the system and had proven to be an admirably trustworthy ship. It was all in the brochure. Although it could only carry five hundred people more than two hundred of those places were reserved for 'normal people' like him. He was looking forward to the trip. He was going to go to space!

* * *

**Lore: The armed forces of the Empire of Man.**

**The imperial legions.**

Numbers: As of 2158 there are one thousand complete legions and one hundred and twenty grounded legions.

Total number of soldiers: 13.440.000 legionnaires. Not including logistics personnel.

Motto: Victory or death.

The idea of the legions was to provide the Empire with an armored fist that would smash through any opposition they would meet. They would be completely self-reliant, with their own tanks, transports, ships, artillery and aircrafts they would be able to take on any enemy they would come across. They are the core forces of the empire, having received superior implants, weapons, armor and training compared to the other armed forces and corps of the Empire of Man.

The soldiers enrolled in the imperial legions serve for a total of forty years. Receiving training the first five years and serving in the legions for the next thirty-five years. They will throughout their training receive different implants and improvements to their body. Such as superior eyes, hardened and strengthened muscle weave, thicker blood with more red blood cells, improved lung capacity etc. They are trained to fight in some of the most hostile environment known to man be it jungle, dessert, tundra or cityscape.

An Imperial Legion contains:

12.000 Fighting men.

The legions chain of command:

12.000 man legion led by Legate.

1.200 man Regiment led by a Tribune.

120 man company led by a centurion.

12 man squad led by an optio.

- The main weapon of the legionary is the "Gladius" assault rifle. Tube feed from a large backpack carried by the legionnaires the backpack also contains the weapons cooling system. The "Gladius" has an almost unlimited supply of ammunition unless it overheats. With more than 2.400 RPM and enough stopping power to stop a rhino dead in its tracks, the Gladius is truly a formidable weapon. Its barrel can be shortened and its stock folded in so that the length of 1,2 meter is reduced to a mere 0,6 meter. Much more proficient in close quarter fighting.

The side-arm of the legionnaire is their vibro-blade. A sixty centimeter long blade with a monomolecular edge. The blade in itself is extremely durable and sharp but when the blade is active, the sub-electrical pulses from the battery in the handle dances across the edge making the molecules moving at an incredible rate. The blade's edge turn almost blue as the ultra-sharp edge vibrates at a molecular level, enabling the legionnaire to cut through a bar of hardened steel.

Their mark V Exo-skeleton carapace armor, attached to the legionnaire by tubes and sockets, enables the legionnaire to run faster, jump higher and fight harder than he would otherwise be able to do. The armor adds a considerable bulk to the soldier, adding another two inches in height and one inch in width all the way around. It has a shield build in and comes with shock-absorbent hydraulics-system which also enhances the strength of the legionnaire by an average of 126,2% Furthermore it has built in glands containing adrenalin, morphine, and other chemicals to improve the soldiers combat abilities. The helmet has a VI assisted targeting system and objective and squad status HUD screen, which can also relay messages through a mouth-and-ear piece, or information regarding enemy positions and type through asses to the military network.

The legion also employs various logistics personnel. Pilots, medics, officers of higher rank and other such personal. These are not counted towards the total numbers of men in a legion and does not receive standard legionary training.

**Panzers of the legions**

200 Mech-suit. The Mech-suitsare crewed by a single man who is crafted into the armor the same way as a legionnaire is crafted into his. But unlike the legionnaire the Mech-suit and the pilot becomes one. The suits outside armor becomes the pilots skin. While he can detached from the suit whenever he wishes the pilot has a very close relation with his armor. Used as heavy assault infantry, the Mech suits are equipped with an under slung Gatling gun under one arm, a flame thrower on the other and a rocket AT system on their backs. They are fast, durable and deadly. Mainly used in special ops or in frontline assaults as the storm troopers of the legion

600 "Viper" APCs. Carrying capacity 6 men. Equipped with a 70 mm semi-automatic assault-cannon and with a top speed across terrain of 80 mph the viper is an amphibious armored transport vehicle designed to keep up with the rest of the armored elements of the legion. Its cannon is ideal to provide covering fire or light artillery fire for the charging legionnaires. They also come equipped with a six-rocket hunter-killer anti-tank system. Making them deadly to any enemy they might face.

600 Tanks.

- 40 "Jackhammer" heavy tanks. With a 180 mm main canon and two 50 mm fully automatic support guns, the "Jackhammer" is literally used as a jackhammer. Designed to drive straight through buildings, be it civilian or military emplacements of armored steel, it is the spearhead of the Imperial legions. Its enormous heavy canon, and two side guns will make short work of any enemy emplacement.

- 400 "Broadsword" medium tanks. With a 120 mm main gun and a 50 mm support gun it is designed to form the bulk of the armored force of the legions. It is the main battle tank, amphibious and versatile. Capable in any situation. With a top speed of just under 70 mph, the Broadsword can just keep up with the Viper APCs and so also provides escort for the armored convoys.

- 160 "wasp" Light tanks. Designed to harass the enemy flanks and rear the Wasp has a relatively small cannon, only fielding a 90 mm gun, its high speed of 120 mph allows it to outrun most of the opposition it could come across.

300 artillery pieces.

- 10 "Titan wreckers" super pieces. Firing a sub-atomic 240 mm shell the "Titan Wrecker" is the biggest meanest gun not mounted on a spacecraft. Used if the legion has a particularly hard nut to crack. Slow to load it does makes up for in quality what it lacks in quantity.

- 150 "Demolisher" heavy guns. The 200 mm shells fired by this semi-automatic self-propellant gun comes in both airburst, incendiary, armor-piercing or biological cargo rounds. It is the main gun used by the legions with a 20 RPM. It can lay waste to any city or mountainside.

- 140 "Javelin" Medium guns. This four barreled 100 mm gun is mainly used as an AA gun. However they have successfully been used as light artillery and fielded as such.

**Air and space capabilities. (Grounded legions do not posses these) **

120 air/space planes.

- 40 "Superiority" fighters. The main air superiority fighter employed by the legions. Can be used in both space and in atmosphere.

- 80 "Katana" fighter-bombers. Highly precise planes used to bombard specific locations where artillery might not do the job. These fighter-bombers are often the first to arrive. Destroying AA emplacements, communications, infrastructure and command centers, the "Katana" is one of the most vital components of the Legion.

With fleet:

1 Destroyer. The main battleship of the legion. The destroyer is the smallest of the capitol ship classes.

2 carrier cruisers. Larger than average cruiser they contain the legions fighters and bombers.

6 cruisers. The backbone of the fleet. These versatile ships are used as transport, escort, bombers or space superiority ships.

20 frigates. Of different classes and makes, the frigates are used in much the same way as the cruisers, albeit less effectively.

50 Kalenvo transporters. The main transport vessel of imperial armed forces. Each ship has capacity to transport 240 legionnaires with 12 personal carriers, 8 tanks, 6 artillery pieces and their crew.

4 factory ships. These large ships produces ammunitions, spare parts, armor, rifles and anything else the legion may need. With large machines able to synthesize most resources from what they can scrounge these ships keep the legions in the field long after they would otherwise have to return home.

A/N

So the midnight protocol is history. Didn't think I would make it this far, but the interest in the story has been tremendous and kept me writing. Since the legions are mentioned a lot through the story I elected to write a little about their composition. The fleet will be explained in depth later. As always, reviews and constructive criticism is appreciated. Next stop: First contact.


	4. Chapter 4

_June 24th 2161. Somewhere near the border of the Attican traverse. 23:12. Terran standard time. Aboard the Turian Cruiser 'Vigilance'._

Spirits damn it! How could this keep happening? For the third time in just as many months Arminius had lost the Quarian fleet. Even after refitting and upgrading the ship with the newest and most expensive Salarian spy tech available to the Turian Hierarchy the damned suit rats still managed to evade them. It looked like the equipment wasn't enough. And worse, his continued inability to keep track of the Quarians made him look bad. Command was constantly breathing down his neck, his continued failure was making his entire race a laughing stock, and the Council was getting annoyed. To add insult to injury the council had sent a spectre, an Asari spectre, to 'assist' him and aid him. _Like I need some help looking for a fleet of suit rats._

He marched over to his communications officer, a female with some very supportive legs, and looked intently on her screen as she received reports from various Batarian communications buoys around the sector. The Batarians hadn't exactly been helpful in their search for the Quarians, but they didn't really like the idea of a fleet of scavengers and thieves running rampant in their sector of space, and so they had given Arminius permeation to use their comm buoys.

"Minia, Report!"

The female turned around and snapped a quick salute before bringing up various charts and graphs and a map of the galaxy.

"Sir, some of the scanners in this sector has picked up some unusual activity lately. Especially around here and here."

She indicated some areas of the sector map. The two areas were close to the borders of Batarian space, but otherwise there wasn't anything special about them. I was, quite literally, in the middle of nowhere. No mass relays, no populated planets or colonies, no fuel station, there was nothing but unpopulated, empty space.

"And why would the Quarians go there? Are you sure it isn't just some pirates hiding from the law? If I'm going to act on this I need more than just speculations officer."

The female officer quickly brought up more graphs and charts.

"Surveillance officer Tibanus believes that these are more than simple pirates sir. See how the detectors fluctuate here."

Pointing at the charts, he could indeed see that the activity in the sector had had a large increase in the movement of stellar objects. These were incredibly delicate sensors which could pick up any movement of something metallic. As long as it had a certain mass. To his surprise the fluctuations were quite significant. Marching at the least three dozen ships. One of them a dreadnought sized ship, albeit in the lower end of the scale.

"But that is ages away from anything. What would the suit rats gain from going there?"

There was little doubt in his mind that they had indeed located the Quarians. No other citadel race had any ships out here, or at least not in numbers. So when his sensors told him that forty ships were seen traveling through a system he logically had to assume that they were the refugees he was looking for. Still it would look bad if he raced off into an empty part of space on what turned out to be a goose chase.

"Call the spectre. She's going closer to that system than we are. Give her the report and 'request' that she check it out."

The female officer complied and sent the message immediately. Now, his ass covered, Arminius could relax a little. If the Spectre didn't find anything he wouldn't have wasted precious time on something that turned out to be a false alarm. And if she did find something then it would be thanks to his keen eyes and his competence as a commander. Finally he might get some elbowroom out there. If he could turn in a few good reports, complimenting the new systems and tech, with evidence that the Quarians could no longer hide from the watchful eye of the Citadel, then he might get fast tracked for his long overdue promotion. _Finally things are going my way._

* * *

_June 24th 2161. Somewhere near the border of the Attican traverse. 23:36. Terran standard time. Aboard the Asari republic cruiser 'Graceful ascendance'._

Vamara Me'ana had spent more than a century in the service to the council as a spectre. She had in her years of service foiled acts of terrorism, taken down slaver rings, smuggling corporations, murder cults, corrupt officials and bands of pirates. As one of the most famous and successful spectres ever to have served the council, she found her current assignment to be far, far beneath her.

Having seconded the Asari cruiser as her transport and her base of operations she had quickly traveled towards her rendezvous with the Turian Captain in charge of the surveillance of the Quarians. Since he was apparently unable to do his job properly, she had been sent to assist him in any manner she saw fit. She had initially thought that he would be hostile, or at the very least, uncooperative. But he had complied with her every request, send her all the documents, reports and charts needed. She had been unable to find any fault in his procedures. It seemed that the Quarians were, indeed, very elusive. Therefor when she received his request to search a system on her route for traces of the Quarians she had complied.

"Arriving at the system in ten seconds ma'am. Might want to get up to the bridge."

Vamara roused herself from her meditation. The cruiser was one of the biggest and most elegant in the Asari fleet. She felt like she was on a luxury barge when in truth it probably outgunned any other vessel of the same class. Whit its state of the art shields and cannons and the new alloys in its armor it was truly a formidable ship. It was a true testimony to the superiority of the Asari republic.

Coming up to the bridge she instantly called out for reports, readings and scans. After a minute when the different crewmembers called out their reports she came to a conclusion that she wasn't really that surprised with. Nothing. The system was empty. No ships had discharge their FTL drives nearby, or left an Eezo trail. No element zero leaks, which the Quarians always had some of with their old ships, not even a piece of scrap metal or ejected garbage.

"Sorry ma'am. Looks like a false alarm"

The Asari captain looked genuinely disappointed. And she had to admit, she too didn't like the idea of a fifty-thousand ship fleet just disappearing. Especially in an uncharted, unexplored sector of space.

"Alright, lets continue towards the rendezvous with Arminius. No reason to loiter around in an empty system."

She turned to leave when the woman on her right suddenly jerked in shock, her monitor blaring alarms.

"Madam! Captain! I detect a large number of constructs on the fourth planet in the system. I also detect a lot of radio waves and other forms of communications".

So the Quarians had indeed been here. Even worse, they had built emplacements on the planet below them, perhaps intending to colonize it.

"Bring us close. I want a live feed up on the screen within the minute."

It took about thirty seconds before they got close enough to the plane, a beautiful garden world even, before the sensors and cameras on the ship was able to get a picture up on the vid screens of the cockpit. The first pictures were of the beautiful green valleys and forests of the planet. Vamara was surprised by the beauty of the planet. They were far, far away from any mass relay, but this planet had real prospects of colonization. Once they had evicted the Quarians she decided that she would contact the Asari council member. This planet was way too good for some beggars like the Quarians.

"Vid coming up. Looks like they have been real busy down there."

Vasari was stunned when she saw the number of buildings on the surface. It looked like they had crashed a large ship on the surface of the planet, there was a lot of buildings surrounding the ship, buildings of every shapes and sizes. It looked like a colony with a capacity of a few thousand colonists. Despite herself Vamara was impressed. They had only been gone a month and they had already established a large colony. She could even see two orbital canons on the edge of the colony.

"My my, they have been busy". The captain smiled. While the Quarians weren't as hated by the peaceful Asari as they were by the militaristic Turians, they still weren't a particularly loved race. They had little in the way of economy, almost no culture and their rugged, ugly ships were real eyesores on the Citadel whenever one of them docked.

They tried to zoom in on the colony, but then suddenly their cameras began blurring. One by one, the cameras lost their view of the planet. Disturbing. They are probably trying to hide. Well too little too late.

"Open up a comms channel. I want to talk to them."

When the communications officer had established a channel to the planet surface, Vamara stepped up and cleared her throat.

"This is Council spectre Vamara Me'ana onboard the Asari republic vessel 'Graceful ascendance' calling the surface of undesignated planet. Your occupation of this planet is an illegal action against established Citadel laws, and you will acknowledge our hails and surrender yourselves into our custody. Respond immediately!"

There was static for a long while. She started to get annoyed. If they were childish enough to just ignore her she would have to use force. She turned to the captain.

"Power up the guns. Have them lock on the large building in the middle. Show them we mean business."

The captain did as she was told. She had no intention of actually using the guns, but she would be forced to if they didn't acknowledge her. Vamara tried to contact the colony once again.

"This is Council spectre Vamara Me'ana to the surface of undesignated planet, respond immediately or we will have to use force!"

She didn't like to do this, but it was necessary. The Quarians had ignored a Council edict. They were not to colonize any new worlds, and now that they were ignoring her she would have to show them what ignoring council law meant.

Suddenly the static was interrupted by the blaring of several alarms on the ship. Red lights filled the deck and the crew started running around frantically, occupying their seats and manning their battle stations. Vamara couldn't believe what was happening. The Quarians had the nerve to point their guns on them. Them!

"Ma'am we have several weapon locks from the planet. We also detect a ship inbound. It should be here in about…"

A large explosion rocked the ship. Vamara was thrown of her feet, her head smacked against the bulkhead. Stars were swimming before her eyes and blue blood was coursing from a gash on her forehead. She managed to get back on her feet and grasped the pilot's chair, trying to steady herself.

"Captain report! What happened?"

The captain looked shocked. No one had thought the Quarians would dare fire at a Citadel species, let alone a Council Spectre.

"Our engines are dead! They cut right through our shields!"

But how? The Quarians didn't possess that kind of weapons. The Asari cruiser easily outgunned almost anything the Quarians had in their fleet.

"Ma'am! An unidentified cruiser has just entered the system. It doesn't match any known signatures or patterns employed by any armed forces. It's heading straight towards us!"

"Send a message to the Council! Tell them the Quarians are…"

Another explosion rocked the ship. This time Vamara stayed on her feet. But only just.

"They took out or communications!"

"The cruiser is launching some kind of pods! Their heading towards us!"

Vamara could guess at what the pods were. But she still didn't believe it. First the Quarians attacked their ship, ignoring the direct order of a spectre, then they would try to board it. The nerve!

"Everyone grab a weapon! Prepare to repel boarders!"

Vamara had faith that the crew could easily repel the Quarians. Even though the Quarians were experts in ship-to-ship combat the 'Graceful ascendance', apart from carrying a council spectre, also carried a squad of Asari commandoes.

"Everybody get a gun and find some cover! Captain you're with me!"

The captain nodded before removing a gun from a hidden compartment. They ran towards the CIC and got into cover behind some of the many sleek and esthetically pleasing bank of consoles. They didn't have to wait long. The shipped shook as pods clashed into it. She saw a huge dent in the side of the bulkhead, near the cockpit and facing the length of the deck, where Vamara had just stood moments before. The edge of the dent started glowing read as the invaders were preparing to breach.

"Hold steady. Prepare to fire. On my mark…"

She looked around her and saw much of the crew huddling down behind whatever cover they could find. There were perhaps fifteen Asari, all armed with sleek and elegant shotguns and pistols. White and black, the guns looked like pieces of art but were in fact, very deadly. The red glow disappeared and Vamara prepared for it to come loose. But she still wasn't ready for what came next.

An explosion blew a large circular piece of the bulkhead right across the cockpit, sending it smashing into a bank of consoles, obliterating the two crewmembers using them as cover. Before she had even registered what had happened, four grenades flew through the breach and exploded, sending shrapnel in every direction. Crew members screamed as they were turned to shreds. And then out from the pod, Guns blazing, ran six giant red-armored creatures. And belatedly, Vamara realized what was happening. These, weren't Quarians.

She had never seen anything like them. They had the shape of Batarians or Asari, but they were much bigger and brawnier than any of the respective races of the council. Within half a second her brain took in their appearance and look. It was clear that whatever they were, they were dual-gendered. The armor made it hard to be certain but she could see that at least two of them were noticeably smaller and had two mammalian glands on their chest. Much like the females of many of the other species in known space. That would mean that the other four were male.

They were about two meters tall with the females being shorter and less bulky. Their legs had one bend each, going forward, like the Asari and, their helmets had two eyespieces which would suggest that they probably only had two eyes. All in all they were remarkably similar to Asari. Which meant that their organs would be in the same places.

She whirled around the corner of the consoles and fired her shotgun twice at the nearest alien, aiming for where the heart would be. The alien stumbled, its shields flaring brightly and it grabbed its shoulder, but otherwise stayed up. Seeing their comrade hurt, the other aliens fired at her. She ducked, not really believing their shots would penetrate the solid consoles. The captain pitching over, some large holes in her torso, proved her wrong. Despite herself, she was impressed. The aliens clearly were quite advanced, their shields were more resistant than anything she had ever seen and their weapons. Their weapons were loud and bulky, but incredibly powerful and deadly. The crewmembers were being slaughtered around her. She had to do something, she had to save the people under her command.

Concentrating, she threw up the strongest biotic barrier she had ever made. Blocking the aliens in their half of the CIC. They stopped in their tracks, looking confused. They started pounding on her barrier, ripples going through it. She felt her energy drain, but she didn't have to hold long.

"Everybody get up and lay down your arms. Put your hands in the air, make sure not to look threatening"

She got up, making sure to maintain her barrier but still look unthreatening. After a slight moment of hesitation, the rest of the surviving crew, five in total, followed her example. This was her only chance. If the aliens didn't accept, what she hoped they interpreted, her surrender, they would all be dead anyway. The aliens raised their guns but didn't fire. Good, at least they seemed to understand the gesture. The aliens started talking amongst themselves. Shuffling around, looking confused, they started to lower their guns.

Vamara cautiously dropped her barrier, ready to send a warp through their ranks if they tried anything.

"Nobody do anything stupid. No sudden movements."

The crew looked around at the remains of their cremates, most of them almost sawn in half by the guns of the aliens. Vamara noticed the alien she had hit still clutched his shoulder, red blood trickling out from between its finger. But otherwise the male looked fine. _They're as tuff as Krogan_.

One of the aliens spoke, then walked over towards Vamara. She assumed that it was trying to communicate with her.

"I'm sorry I don't understand. I don't…"

Faster than she would have thought possible, the alien brought up the stock of its weapon to connect with her forehead. Her head ripped backwards and the last thing she saw before her body hit the floor, was the red clad aliens attacking her crew with the blunt ends of their rifles.

* * *

_June 25th 2161. Somewhere near the border of the Attican traverse. 00:16. Terran standard time. Aboard the imperial cruiser 'Mailed fist´._

He couldn't believe it. They had made first contact. They had met aliens. He was baffled. It was impossible, improbable, it was amazing and terrifying. As the captain of the 'Mailed fist' Johan Merts had been the first to hear the distress call form the colony nearby. They had been patrolling the nearby area, simple procedure, when suddenly they had received the distress call from the newly established colony. They had assumed that it was some pirates or terrorists. They had become a far bigger problem these last few months, but they were usually only a few groups of malcontents. Usually they were armed with some ancient weapons and flew a civilian spacecraft. But when their scans showed that they were talking about a small cruiser he had immediately thought that it was some traitor in the fleet. It would be the first time an imperial ship had been lost, but the only other possibility was impossible. Inconceivable.

The ship didn't match any known signatures. It looked so sleek, so elegant, he had never seen anything like it before. A fear gripped his intestines. Could it be?

The boarding parties had only been able to see the heat-signatures of their targets. There had simply been too much smoke and fire. But then the party that had boarded the bridge had reported that they had made contact. The legionnaires had been stunned. They had, as the legionnaire had said, "Made contact with hot blue alien women". This was all way over his head. He had never thought that he would actually make first contact. After three years as a spacefaring species traveling outside their home system they hadn't made contact with any sentient species. They hadn't found anymore of the Prothean caches. But they had found enormous antennas floating around in space. It was quickly decided to leave these well alone and focus on systems away from these.

The boarding parties were being collected with shuttles, researchers and scientists were replacing them aboard the alien ship. The attack had been devastating, imperial forces having taken only light casualties, five dead and nine wounded, while the aliens had lost a significant number of crew, one hundred and fifty-five dead and nine captured, it was a huge success. The prisoners were being led to the brig. He had personally gone down to take a look at them and was surprised to find that they were indeed "beautiful blue women". The cosmos really did have a sense of humor.

Noticing his gaze, one of them looked up from her place on the floor, a large nasty bruise on her forehead. She had an intense stare, he could feel it searching him, reading him. It felt like it was reading his very mind, his very being. He quickly moved on towards the soldiers guarding the brig.

"If that one as much as looks like it is going to try anything, put a bullet through her brain."

He then went to the communications room to have a holo-conference with his superiors. The blue, grainy images of the Grand Admiral and four other admirals appeared before him. They were all sat at a half circular table, facing him. The Grand admiral grave voice started.

"Captain, we have received your report. Now please say that this is your idea of a joke."

The man had not a trace of humor or mirth in his voice. He truly hoped that this wasn't true. And Johan hated to tell him that it was.

"I'm sorry sir. Twenty minutes ago, we received a distress signal from the nearby colony on planet T1-XXV. We came into contact with a cruiser we presumed to be in the hand of traitors or terrorists."

He brought up a picture of one of the blue aliens, along with several of the interior of the ship.

"We made hostile first contact with the species of the ship. After a short, but brutal, fight we were able to pacify the crew and take some prisoners."

Suddenly another man entered the conference, the blue holo projector on his right lighting up to make room for the extra person. He was tall and fair, dressed in a the dark green armor of the imperial line infantry, but without rank pins on his shoulder. His short black hair made him look as if he was a soldier, just returned from duty. Everyone in the room instantly knew who it was.

Johan immediately bend his knee to the emperor before standing back up. Out of the corner of his eye he saw all the admirals do the same.

"Captain, what is the condition of the prisoners? How many did you capture?"

Johan had, of course, seen pictures of the emperor, everyone had, but he had never met him in person. He had trouble speaking but managed to convey his message.

"We took nine prisoners my lord, all of them were wounded in some way but only three of them seriously so. My medics report that their biology seems remarkably similar to humans. Therefore we should be able to provide medical assistance to the wounded crew."

The Emperor looked satisfied with the answer.

"Good. Bring them back to Earth ASAP. A fleet is on its way to patrol the system. You are to speak to no one but the admirals about what you have encountered. When you reach Earth you will cut off all communications and remain in orbit. No one is to leave. Understood?"

Johan nodded.

"Yes your majesty. I understand completely."

The emperor nodded to him before his hologram disappeared. The admirals eyed each other before they deigned to talk to Johan.

"Seeing how the case has developed we will await your full report when you arrive back in the home system. Despite everything, you did good captain. Admiral board out."

The holograms blinked out, leaving a sweating and nervous Captain standing in a dark room._ This is all well above my pay grade._ After all these years they had thought that it would be the evil aliens who would attack the poor defenseless humans. For all he knew, that might still happen.

* * *

_June 25th 2161. Empire City. 02:16. Terran standard time. The chambers of the inner council._

The chamber was deathly silent. The emperor, still dressed in his line infantry uniform, had perhaps dropped the biggest bombshell ever to fall in those hallowed halls. The assembled council sat motionless. Other than the emperor, the Grand Admiral and the Grand Marshal, no one had known about what had transpired out on the fringes of human space. Augustus had been on a four day training exercise with the imperial infantry, as a publicity stunt, and had received the news from the Grand Admiral. He had immediately returned to the City where he briefly took part in the holo conference with the captain.

"Well it was only a question of time after all".

The prime minister had been the first to recover and despite his shocked expression he took the news in a remarkably calm mannerism, once the initial shock died down. But he was right. After more than three years as a colonizing species, the human Empire had truly become an Empire of gargantuan proportions. Evaluating, searching and researching every system and planet near Earth which seemed like it might make a lucrative colony, humanity had spread its influence over more than two hundred systems. The colonization effort had grown and grown. Several enormous wharfs now produced colonial ships and public transport vessels even faster than they had once produced frigates and cruisers.

The large colonial effort had quickly become a key part of the Imperial economy. New mines and undeveloped farmland gave a tremendous boost to the resource available to the factories and to the general human populace on Terra. The transportation of civilians had given rise to a whole new range of civilian space crafts, both private and government sector producers were able to make billions in profit. The construction of prefab houses and buildings along with the machinery to support the new cities employed millions of citizens. However all of this came with a downside.

The endlessness of space and the distance to the colonies meant that the Imperial government were no longer able to control its citizens to the same extent as it previously had. Anti-imperial groups had sprouted up on the different colonies. Some even had their own, small senates calling for the abolishment of the "Dictatorial rule of the Tiberius house" and the enactment of a Human Republic to take the Empires place. The groups would sometimes privately fund pirates or extremists which had started to plague the trade routes between the different systems. But these incidents were quickly dealt with by the Navy and the Imperial army. But they still remained an issue to the imperial government.

Augustus had immediately called the council into session. Indeed many of the councilors had looked half asleep when they had arrived. But they had all snapped to attention when he had told them about the incident.

"Indeed. First contact is now a reality. The question is, what are we going to do about it?"

It was chaos. Each councilman had his or her own idea of what they should do. Dozens of scenarios were discussed and rejected. It quickly boiled down to two general questions. Will the aliens declare peace, or sue for war? They agreed on the simplest answer. Ask for peace, prepare for war.

The recordings and pictures they had received from the ship left no doubt that the aliens were a war capable species. The early report concluded that had it been a fair one-on-one fight, then the human cruiser would still have won. But the loses would have been significantly greater. But the surrender of the aliens on the command deck suggested that the species were able to negotiate to some extent. Augustus cut through the chatter to speak.

"Minister Raulman, have you been able to decipher the alien language?"

The minister looked at the most current update of the report, but apparently she did not like what she read.

"Apologies my lord, but we still haven't had a breakthrough. The few recordings we have been able to salvage through the ship are worthless when we don't have anything to compare with. We need to have a few basic words from their language, then connect them to ours before we can use the information to make a temporary upgrade to the translators."

_So we have little way of communicating with them._ It was a major barrier. They had quickly, through the reports of the medical staff tending to the wounded aliens, learned that their biology was largely the same. Which was strangely comforting to Augustus. But without a common language they were severely handicapped in any diplomatic talks they could enter in.

"Minister Le'chaun, how does the reconnaissance effort progress?"

The female minister of imperial intelligence filtered through her notes.

"We have established the route of the ship. Using what we know from our own experiments with the alien technology found in the archives we have been able to backtrack the course of the ship. We have launched a total of two-thousand and fivehundred spy probes in different directions to get the most information possible."

Good, they were getting somewhere. If they knew the home of the aliens that meant that they could retaliate in case of an attack. They had already agreed that if the aliens attacked Earth they would respond as if they intended to annihilate the human race. By annihilating their race in retaliation.

"Grand marshal, Grand admiral, what is the situation of our armed forces?"

The two men had, as the ones who knew about the attack the longest, already worked out a plan and alerted their men. Dao Uong was the one to speak.

"All the branches of the armed forces has been alerted to expect an imminent attack on human held territory. All the fleets are ready and every legion and regiment is standing by for further order."

Augustus nodded his head in approval. There was no way humanity wouldn't protect itself against any form of aggression. This was why the empire had been built. To protect humanity against any extraterrestrial force or act of aggression.

Now, he only needed to address the general population.

"Consul Kiel, have you called the senate to assembly?"

The man, who had won a landslide victory over his competitors for the rank of consul, seemed most displeased at the entire affair.

"I have my lord. But many of them are on holiday away from Earth. The Senate is, after all, closed for the season. I expect a great number of them won't appear."

Perfect. That meant that there wouldn't be as many people to address, and he would have a tighter control of the proceedings.

"Make sure that they are ready within three hours. I intend to pay our honored guests a visit.

There was a collected intake of gasps around the table. But his mind was set and he was already leaving the room before anyone had time to protest.

"Everyone, return to your posts and await further information. Prepare for anything."

He opened the door but couldn't make himself leave quite yet. He turned around, addressing the gathered council.

"We all knew this day would come. It was inevitable. But now that it is here it is more important than ever that we work together, as a single unit. We have no idea what the aliens want, it might be war, it might be the enslavement of our race, it might be our very extinction. But maybe there is a possibility for peace. And if there is, I will do my utmost to grasp that possibility. Be ready, everyone. The day of judgment is upon us."

He then turned and left, but he couldn't help repress a small smile as he descended the height of the building. He was beginning to get the hang of this he thought.

* * *

_**Lore:**_

_**The Imperial armed forces: The mighty Imperial Navy.**_

_As of 2160 the Imperial navy employs eight classes of battleships._

**Corvettes: **Small, fast and lightly armed, the corvette serves as small escorts to civilian ships. Working together in groups of seven the fast ships can prove deadly to frigates and cruisers but are very vulnerable alone or pitted against larger ships. They are some of the newest addition to the Imperial navy. An average corvette has a crew of between ten and fifteen.

Numbers: About 1.200 ships have been built.

**Frigates: **By far the most numerous of the battleships, the frigate are a versatile ship. Used by many of the land forces as close naval support or by the navy as a quick response ship, the frigate is a reliable class of ship. However their small armaments and weak armor means that they are easy prey for many of the other ship classes employed by the Imperial nay. Working together in groups of five they are a very real threat to any person who underestimates their potential. An average Frigate has a crew of between forty and sixty men.

Numbers: A total of 24,564 frigates are employed by the Empire.

**Cruisers: **This, the largest of the small ships, is the true workhorse of the navy. Employed in any theater, in any role, the cruisers are the main ships employed by the Navy. Used to patrol the borders or hunt for pirates the cruiser can hold its own against even a pack of frigates, if in the hands of a seasoned crew. They are used in any role but at a much higher effect than the smaller frigates, or the larger destroyers. Nevertheless, the cruiser is only considered a medium ship and very little prestige is attached to steer one of these. But within the higher command of the navy, the cruiser is greatly appreciated. The average cruiser has a crew of between eighty and one-hundred-and-fifty.

Numbers: 7.580 cruisers are currently employed by the Empire.

**Carrier cruisers: **Used mainly by the Legions, the Carrier Cruises have found their niche within the Imperial navy. Providing bombers and fighters to harass the enemy lines and fleets the Carrier cruisers are a small version of the bigger carriers used by the fleet. It has however proven invaluable to the success of the fleets in many simulations and large scale practice fight. With a capacity to carry sixty planes plus crew, the carrier cruiser has sacrificed its big guns and batteries in return for better shields and defense turrets. Apart from the crew of the spacecrafts and their maintenance crew, the carrier cruiser has a personal crew of between one-hundred-and-sixty and two-hundred men.

Numbers: 2.200 carrier cruisers are currently employed by the Empire.

**Destroyers: **As the smallest of the main battleships, the destroyer is easily the most numerous of the large ships. It carries an assortment of guns and defense turrets and provides the heavy fleet support of the legions. It is a ship tried and tested and can meet almost any challenge it may face. At about 1,5 km in length the ships are large compared to those of smaller make, but pale in comparison to the larger ships of the Empire. They have a crew of between two-hundred-and-fifty, and four-hundred.

Numbers: 1.090 destroyers are currently employed by the Empire.

**Dreadnoughts: **Once the biggest ships humanity possessed, the Dreadnought has since given ground to the large carriers and the gargantuan capitol ships. But the Dreadnought still remains the backbone of the Human heavy fleet. Used to defend Earth and other key colonies, the Dreadnought is a large clumsy vessel, but one of the most deadly fielded by the Empire. They possess firepower equal to that of two whole legion fleet support, and can hold their ground against a medium group of smaller ships. They are space superiority vessels and are often used in couplings with Carriers. They are the third largest vessel in the Emperial Navy, coming in at between 2,6 and 3,2 km long. They have a crew of between one-thousand-five-hundred and two-thousand-five-hundred.

Numbers: 62 Dreadnoughts are currently employed by the Empire.

**Carriers: **Used in much the same way as their smaller cousins, the carriers are some of the biggest ships employed by mankind. Having little in the way of armaments, the large ships boast a capacity of eight-hundred fighters and bombers. With strong armor and stronger shields, the carriers can take an enormous amount of punishment. They are the second largest vessels in the human navy at 3,8 km in length. They have a crew of between four-thousand and five-thousand. 

Numbers: 16 carriers are currently employed by the Empire.

**Capitol ships: **The largest, toughest, meanest and nastiest ships employed by mankind the capitol ships has more firepower than ten whole legions and enough destructive power to lay waste to continents. The Capitol ships, although few in number, are perhaps the most vital ships in the defense of Earth. With their gargantuan 'Behemoth' guns, spanning a full quarter of the length of the ship, firing a nuclear warhead with ten times the yield of the Tsar bomba employed by the Russians in 1961 they are able to destroy a Dreadnought in a single shot. With a length of 5,4 km, They are the single largest and most destructive engine of war ever created by mankind. They have a crew of ten thousand men.

Numbers: 5 Capitol ships are currently employed by the Empire.

*Note. All number are included the fleet support of the Imperial legions.

TOP SECRET.

Caution: Anyone reading this document without the proper authorization are guilty of high treason. Perpetrators will be executed without trial.

Project "Supreme ruler".

Ship class designation: Imperator class.

One ship under construction. Construction commenced: 2138.

Current total cost of project: .000 Denarii.

Project expected finished: 2149. Changed to 2152, changed to 2155, changed to 2159, changed to 2162.

Length: A total of 10.860 meters.

Crew: 45.500 men.

Primary armament: 'Titan slayer' experimental gun.

Project manager note: Currently, a total of 3.402 men have died during construction. Mostly due to accident and exposure to vacuum. There have been no reported accidents in the last 22 days.

* * *

_A/N_

_Bet none of you saw that one coming. Still it was hard to write a first contact scenario that didn't involve the Turians and their aggression or the poor Quarians. Why with all the hate for the Quarians out there? But I think it turned out well in the end :) Thanks to all those people who took the time to review. You are the ones who make it worth writing. _


	5. Chapter 5

_June 25th 2161. Empire City. 04:05. Terran standard time. An undisclosed location on Mars._

Vamara Me'ana sat in a cold, grey, metal cell on some goddess forsaken planet somewhere in the large empty galaxy. To say that she was uncomfortable was an understatement of gargantuan proportions. She had been crawling though swamps while under fire from Batarian slavers and she hadn't felt half as uncomfortable. Her hands were on her back, incased in some sort of metal casings, tied to each other by a chain. All her belongings had immediately been confiscated and she had been dressed in a plain orange bodysuit. The whole experience had been enormously degrading.

Looking out of her cell, she could see two of the black clad guards walking slowly past, looking at her, daring her to do something. But she was content for the time being to just sit and study her captors. She had to admit that she was intrigued. She was possibly the first person to have stumbled across this space capable species. If she could establish peaceful communications with the primitives she might be able to broker safe passage for her and the remainder of her crew to the citadel, as a show of good faith to the council. Of course, that was if they didn't execute her first The political implications of introducing a space capable species were tremendous, mainly they might assist in finally pacifying the Attican traverse, a haven for pirates and slavers.

Suddenly, a group of guards walked up to the hardened glass door of her cell and opened it. Two of them pointed their rifles at her as the other two grabbed an arm each and proceeded to drag her out of the cell and down the narrow corridor. All the cells they went past were empty. She hoped that her men were simply kept in another ward, but there was a very real possibility that they had been killed already. They were probably dragging her off to be interrogated. She fully expected to be tortured and she mentally prepared herself for the coming trials.

They entered a metallic room, sparsely furnished with a metal table and two metal chairs, all bolted to the floor. One of the chairs was occupied by an unarmored alien. A male by the look of it, with short black fur on the top of his head. She was quite intrigued by this, the appearance of an unarmored, and apparently, ununiformed individual suggested some form of government official. Was he an observer, or the interrogator.

She was forcibly sat on the chair opposite the male, her hands and legs chained to the back of the cold metal chair. Then, to her surprise, the man nodded to the guards who instantly left. Interesting, government official then, this had just taken a turn for the better.

Another male came in with a tray, on which were placed several articles, and placed it on the table before he left. Now she and the unarmored alien were alone. He stared at her intently and she stared back, trying to read him, to understand what he intended. He picked up a bowl of blue liquid that she presumed was water. He then uttered a guttural sound, pointing at the bowl. After a minute of silence he repeated the gesture, uttering the guttural sound again. Catching his meaning, she nodded towards the bowl and said "Water." In Asari. The alien was obviously trying to establish some sort of communication method, but he couldn't possibly hope to achieve anything without some sort of translator. A translator like the one in her omnitool.

They continued the process for almost thirty minutes, the man taking his time at every item. At length he pointed towards himself and the guards standing outside and said loudly and slowly, "Humans".

Interesting, either he was referring to the faction, if they were a faction, or the race. She took a guess and filled the information away for later. He then extended a hand towards her, waiting patiently. It took a moment for Vamara to think about whether or not she should divulge her species. But decided that it would be diplomatic to humor the 'Human', she then sat straight before clearly and proudly saying "Asari".

He repeated the word to himself a couple of times before laying a hand on his chest and said "Augustus Tiberius". She assumed that it was the individuals name. She also repeated his name, and he corrected her until she said it right. He gestured to her, and she then told her name. "Vamara Me'ana". He repeated the name until he had got it right. When she did not correct him again he smiled at her.

Suddenly the man got to his feet and left, without saying anything else. She was quickly transported back to her holding cell by the armored 'Humans'. The interview had given her some things to think about. The male had been patient, talkative but he had also had some sort of authority, since he could command the guards. She arrived at the conclusion that he was some sort of political figure. That was actually a very comforting thought. At least they do not let the military control them, like the Turians.

She was left alone in her cold, barren cell once again. But at least it didn't look like she would be executed out of hand. And she could probably use the superior diplomatic skill of the Asari to outwit these primitives and negotiate a good deal. Maybe they would even submit to the council and become a member species. Of course, this would all be academic if she couldn't talk to them. But she would figure that out. She might be able to use her ability to meld her mind with that of another being. But she doubted that they would respond favorably to her suddenly melding her mind with the interrogator, or whatever she should call him. But it seemed that she had plenty of time to plan her next move. After all, she wouldn't be going anywhere.

* * *

_June 25th 2161. Empire City. 05:17. Terran standard time. An armored military shuttle en route to Earth._

Augustus had to admit that he was pleasantly surprised when he saw the alien. Of course, he had already seen the pictures and recordings of the creatures from the military cruiser. But seeing it with his own eyes was a different thing entirely. They were attractive, looking remarkably similar to human females, but they also had this unearthly aura around them. At least they weren't horrible creatures that resembled daemons from the netherworld. But that didn't mean that they weren't dangerous. For all he knew they could have fleets that outnumbered humanity a hundred to one on the way to Earth this very moment.

But he had to deal with what he knew, and what he knew was that they had nine extraterrestrials in a holding facility in the sol system. He had gone to the holding facility for more than just meeting the aliens. He wanted to show himself to, what they presumed was, the leader of the aliens. He had tried to establish a connection with it, if the presumably female alien were able to recognize him then it would make further communication smoother. It would be a political tool he could use later if they were able to make peaceful contact.

Using his multitool he contacted the leader of the 'First contact research squad', a hastily collected group of specialists and especially gifted individuals whose goal was to collect as much information regarding these 'Asari' as possible. The different objects he had had her name would go a long way in creating a translator device, like the one in his multitool that allowed him to speak with every human on Earth without the lingual barrier coming between them.

"Mrs. Calieri, what have you got for me?"

The voice of the middle aged woman who led the group came through the line, a little hesitant at speaking with the supreme leader of mankind, but with an enthusiastic streak to it.

"My lord, using the samples that you and the other eight interrogators were able to collect we believe we are able to make a temporary solution to our communications problem. However we have some exhilarating news. It seems that the small spherical device we confiscated from her is remarkably similar to our own multitool."

This was indeed good news. If it was similar to the human multitool that meant that they could access the communications network and from there harvest an endless amount of information about these 'Asari'.

"That is excellent news indeed Mrs. Calieri, have you been able to crack the device yet?"

There was a moment of silence as she no doubt called for the newest update on their progress with cracking it.

"Yes my lord, we have been collecting an almost infinite amount of data. It seems that it is also a communications device like our translator. Thus far we have detected at least two hundred different languages or dialects catalogued within it. Furthermore, there seems to be some kind of connection to some sort of large data archives. We are currently trying to access it but my analyzers say that we are looking at an amount of data that surpasses anything we have ever seen before."

This was indeed very good news. They were milking the device for everything it was worth. But their primary goal was to develop a translator of the 'Asari' language. From there they could use it to asses all the information they could gather.

"You have done a remarkable job Mrs Calieri. Keep me updated."

He cut the link as the shuttle descended through the atmosphere towards Empire city. He checked the time. He would be more than an hour late for the meeting. Perfect. He needed the senate on their wrong foot if his plan was to succeed. He had made sure that Consul Kiel had sent out the call for the senate to assemble. Little did Kiel know, that the signal had been blocked by Praetorian squads posted outside his office and house. None of the senators had received the call.

Of course, he couldn't very well have a senate meeting without any senators, so he had made sure that a copy of the signal that Kiel had sent out had reached those senators who would be favorable to his suggestion. It was all very illegal and immoral. But they were talking about the future of humanity, and they had to be of a single mind if they would survive.

"Coming in to land my lord. ETA eighty seconds."

The consul had been the most difficult to control. But when he had found his weakness, it had only been a matter of finding the right time to use his newfound knowledge. Kiel was too smart to fall for the same trick twice. Leading the moderates, Kiel had gotten used to being in the spotlight, indeed he craved it, needed the attention. He was constantly in the news, on every channel, in every talkshow. Therefore when Kiel would leave his office to go to the senate, he would be swarmed we eager reporters and journalists. Of course that wouldn't be enough so he had also received a message that would inform him that the emperor would be late. And therefore the meeting would be delayed, by two hours. More than enough time for his plan to be accomplished. And it wasn't really a lie, he was indeed delayed, but only for an hour.

Landing on the platforms close to the senate, he was precisely sixty minutes late. He walked briskly toward the doors, flanked on either side by his guard. He made sure that the large gates to the senate chambers were flung open and his entrance sufficiently dramatic to make all the senators wield around and see their emperor take his rightful place in front of the senate, standing tall and straight before the gathered men.

It was a greatly diminished assembly. Of the five-hundred-and-one senators usually gathered in the senate, there was only one-hundred-and-seventy-seven present. Most of those absent were on holiday on distant colonies light-years away, but a good deal had been elected to be undesirable elements, and had therefor not received the original message but an edited one. One that also set the meeting an hour later than it really was.

"Honorable senators! I apologize for this late hour but a matter of the utmost importance has arisen. We are here to discuss the very future of our race."

There was a nervous murmur amongst the senators. Few things which could be considered an 'emergency' warranted the gathering of the senate. Usually the inner council had the authority to treat anything that had an immediate impact on the Empire.

Seeing that most of the senate had yet to arrive, a senator got to his feet.

"But my lord, most of the senate is not in attendance. Surely we can wait an hour for them to participate if this is so important then we need the entire senate."

This was exactly the question he had anticipated. He had taken everything into account. Nothing would be allowed to stand in the way of his plans. They didn't know if the aliens were hostile, but until they were proved wrong he would assume that they were. And so, humanity needed a leader. A leader who didn't need every decision ratified by an assembly of old, greedy men.

"Nothing would please me more than have humanities' best and brightest assembled here to discuss our future. But I am afraid that within an hour, we might be under a serious attack from an alien species intent on our destruction."

There was a collected intake of breaths. Surely he couldn't be implying what they all thought. It was impossible.

"Approximately six hours ago, an imperial cruiser made hostile first contact with an alien ship. The ship was in orbit above one of our colonies with its guns locked on its center. Naturally they defended themselves and with the aid of the cruiser they successfully fought of the aggressors. We have taken some prisoners and tech from the ship, but there can be little doubt. We have made contact with a race that has military capabilities. We are still uncertain about where the ship came from, but we must prepare for the worst."

The entire senate was shocked. First contact. Aliens. What should they do? This was what many of them had silently feared all through their lives. They had had plans, contingencies, dozens of scenarios involving exactly this happening. But still none of them were prepared.

"I have consulted with my closest military advisors. We have all agreed that an attack may be imminent. We don't know their numbers, theirs ship types, their angle of attack. We don't even know how they think. But I assure you, we will protect our people."

This was something they understood. The glorious Imperial forces could protect them. They had spent more than a century preparing for this. But still, this was all happening too fast. They were confused and terrified. They didn't know that the situation wasn't even half as bad as Augustus had made it look. But it might all change for the worse soon.

"Therefore I propose to temporarily move emergency powers to the imperial military command. So that they may protect Earth and its colonies quickly and efficiently. Honored assembly, I implore you to act quickly on this matter, time is short."

There were more murmurs amongst the senators. A woman's voice carried clearly through the assembly.

"Shouldn't we wait for some more senators? At least wait for the Consul to appear and…"

She didn't have time to finish her sentence before Augustus hammered his fists into his throne and quickly stood up.

"Dammit we haven't got the time! For all we know an enormous fleet with ships capable of destroying Earth in a single shot might be on their way this very moment! We might have hundreds of thousands of ships parked in orbit within the hour! If we are to have any hope of surviving we need to have a clear, simple line of command. This is about our very survival as a species!"

There was complete silence in the chamber. Suddenly one of the senators stood to his feet.

"Let us vote then. All those in favor!"

Every single senator in the room lifted their hands in the air.

"All those opposed?"

None lifted their hands,

"The motion is carried without opposition. Emergency power is shifted to the Imperial military."

There was some applause amongst the senators. But mostly they kept silent. Augustus stood up.

"Honored senators! I applaud your wisdom in acting so quickly and unanimously. Today, we may truly have saved humanity."

He then turned and left. He let out a small sigh. That had all gone way better than he had expected. With the shift of power to the military, he had now truly gained absolute control of humanity. As the commander-in-chief of all armed forces, he now had absolutely free hands. That meant that he could efficiently lead humanity's armed forces in a defense of their empire, or negotiate with the alien 'Asari' if it came to that. He might have made one of the most important political moves of his career.

* * *

_June 25th 2161. An undisclosed location, on a space station in orbit around Saturn. 06:17. Terran standard time. _

"And you are sure you can get it done within the month? It seems like a tall order considering the time you've spent on it thus far."

They both looked out the window of the living quarters of the barrack-ship they currently resided in. Admiral Sam Duplain stared at the monster of iron and steel that floated before his very eyes. It was gargantuan. A behemoth of human engineering. And a bloody waste of good tax-payer money. Considering the cost and the resources gone into building the bloody thing it was a damned shame that they hadn't been able to make it fly yet.

"Well, if we could just remove the rug that has been neatly pulled over the whole thing I think it would be safe to say that it could be done. I would even bet money on us being done within a fortnight. And I'm not even a betting woman."

Duplain directed a skeptical frown at the project manager, Lilian Mayfield, who had been in charge of the project the last two decades. He was quite sure that she was a gambler. Not much else to do out here really. Except for working and planning and then working some more.

"We managed to get all systems online last week. We even tested all the weapons, except the main gun, and it worked fine. It's just that whenever we try to transfer to sub-space, the shields cut out. We think we have found the problem. But it will take another week before we can make another test."

Duplain looked back at the monstrous hunk of metal and steel. It would be an impressive sight, well it was impressive. He was just so… Underwhelmed. When he first saw it he had been so proud on behalf of humanity. The size, the power, the strength it emanated. When he learned that, for all its splendor and size, it was useless. Well, he had been disappointed.

"How long will it take before we are able to test it fully? Main gun and all?"

He stared at her as she looked away, calculating the time it would take to get everything ready. Taking into account the new resources and funds allocated to her with and the new men and ships she had received.

"I'm not sure. Three weeks maybe? No more than twenty-five days at the most. I mean, we are working overtime, double-time and everything in-between to get it flying."

She looked him in the eyes, searching him for clues. Any lead to why she had suddenly had her number of men tripled and her monthly allowance had been changed to something that might as well have been an infinity sign.

"You know something don't you Duplain? I can see it. You are hiding something from me. What could be so secret that you can't tell your closest friend?"

Duplain just kept looking out the window. He would really like to tell her, dammit she had a right to know, but until the Emperor had given them the permission, the entire thing would be kept under wraps. Well he wasn't one to argue with orders.

"I really have no clue. It's straight from the top and I'm just a lowly admiral. They don't tell me that much. Really I'm just as much in the dark as you are."

The lie wasn't overly persuasive. But then again, he doubted that even if he did make an effort she would still see right through him. Apparently she knew not to press any further and simply looked out the window with him

"It will work Duplain. It will take time, it will take effort, but in time it will work. And then nothing in the galaxy will be able to stop us."

* * *

_June 25th 2161. Extraterrestrial investigations facility Nr 32. Area 201, Greenland. 07:42. Terran standard time. _

Maria Calieri looked down on the latest data summery of the alien device. They had started cross-referencing the information of the alien linguistics and had managed to produce a very crude translations device. After the first fifty minutes they had been able to improve it more than four times and had now been able to produce a unite that should make communications between the alien race, the 'Asari', and humans quite efficient. They still had some major problems, but those were only minor details compared to what they were facing now.

"The citadel council? Client races? Turians, Salarians, Volus and Hanar? Jesus Christ! Are these different species?"

They were looking at a form of information site. They had managed to crack the data archives they had located and their databanks had almost instantly shut down due to the amount of knowledge. They had immediately opened up a link to more than two thousand data storages around the planet to accommodate the huge amount of data that they received. Using the translator that they had created they were instantly able to crudely translate every single language and dialect inside the device. It seemed that her hypothesis that it worked like their own multitool had been correct.

"It would seem so ma'am. Judging from the videos and pictures that we have been able to copy down, it would seem that these 'Asari' are part of some sort of galactic community."

Damn, they had really steeped in it. A whole union of different alien factions. They had cleared a whole wall to make room for all the pictures and the important information associated with the pictures. There was a picture of a five-armed space station of huge proportions. It was labeled "Citadel" and "Government seat". Linking it with read lines were groups of aliens and ships. Labels like "Turians - military" and "Salarians - unknown" filled the wall. It was horrifying. By attacking the 'Asari' cruiser they had quite possibly pissed of the collective galactic community. This really didn't bode well for the future of her race.

"Do we have anything on their leaders? Their government system? Are they democratic or dictatorial? How about fleet numbers?"

It was all incredibly overwhelming. A few hours ago she didn't even know about the existence of aliens. Know she had already learned more about them than she had ever cared to find out.

"No ma'am. We are still trying to clear up the thirty-thousand terabytes of new information that we downloaded the last ten minutes. The VIs are already struggling to translate everything, let alone catalogue it. We are really taxed to our limit."

She should probably be grateful for what they had. Jesus, they had only just invented a translator less than an hour ago. They had made huge progress within the last thirty minutes. Still, it wasn't nearly enough. She had recently received another five thousand men to help her sort it out. Posted all over the Empire they ran diagnostics, trials, data storage, analysis and everything else they could do to learn everything there was to know about these aliens.

A picture popped up on their screen. It featured a large, pink creature resembling an octopus. Besides it was a tall, avian humanoid.

"What are those?"

The officer in charge of the device made a quick translation with her assistance VI.

"It says that this is a Turian" she pointed to the octopus, "And this is a Hanar", pointing to the avian humanoid.

Fascinating. So they were indeed different species. But then, how many different species were there, and more importantly, where were they?

She held up her multitool and contacted the "Alien recognition and cataloguing group" based in Brazil.

"Hey Basil, sending you a picture with text attached. We believe that this might be of interest to you."

There was half a minute pause before he answered.

"Interesting, but our own data suggests that the names are wrong. The one labeled 'Turian' is a hanar, and the one labeled 'Hanar' is something called a 'Volus'. At least we are operating from that assumption. How are things going over at your place?"

She looked around the crowded storage facility that had quickly been turned into a work station with more than two hundred men and women working on decrypting alien language and dialect. Using it to dig out information from the device they had confiscated.

"Not good Basil. To be honest, its chaos. Pure and simple. We have no idea what we're doing."

She could hear a nervous chuckle from the other side of the channel.

"Same over here. What have we gotten ourselves into? Well I gotta go, we have already manage to prove half of our last patch of alien recognition information wrong and we just got a call from the cell in China, they are not very pleased. Well, good luck to you. Hope we survive this."

He cut the link with that last humorless remark and she returned to her work. She could see three of her people rearranging their chart, putting more than half the labels in new position, before moving some of them again after new information was shouted to them. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

_June 25th 2161. Headquarters of the Bureau of Imperial Intelligence. 10:02. Terran standard time. _

Minister Kathrina Le'chaun was quite exhilarated by the entire affair. She had been given an almost unlimited amount of resources, all her operations had been green lighted, she had even gotten permission to use two of the aliens for interrogations. Which she had happily done, using the new translator. They were asked numerous questions about their government, their weapons, their fleets and armies. It had quickly become apparent that they were either unwilling or unable to answer their questions. She had then been allowed to make use of "Hard interrogation". Provided that the two aliens were disposed of when she was finished.

That had yielded a good deal of the information that they sought. Indeed they had been told a good deal more than they had initially asked to know. They now had the general position of their colonies and home worlds, as precise as pointing to a map of the galaxy would allow, and the location of this "Citadel Council". They had even been given names of the councilors. Once the two aliens had expired, they had been incinerated and the ashes dumped into space.

"How many probes do we have in that area? How close are they?"

The officer in charge of the particular segment of space in which they believe the station to be positioned, checked the newest updates on the probes.

"We currently have twenty-five probes sweeping the area. They should be able to reach the indicated position in about ten minutes."

The spy probes that they used were a true technological marvel. Equipped with superb scanners that could tracks ships and communications for light-years, and using the sub-space technology of the space ships, they could drop in an out of space as they saw fit. Without having to cool off or wait for the engines to recharge. That meant that they could cross the galaxy in less than two days. A true testimony to the power that was the Empire of Man.

"I want every single one of those probes to race towards that sector. We need to find their government. The emperor's orders."

The officer immediately complied and made some adjustments to the setting of some of the probes before slightly leaning back into his chair. After twelve minutes had passed, Le'chaun started to get impatient. Then suddenly, one of the monitors started beeping. Then another, and another and then another. Soon, every single monitor received information from the probes.

"Is that it? Have we found it?"

The information poured in. size, mass, life forms detected, ships in the area, everything they could possibly want to know.

"I believe so ma'am. It sure fits the description."

Excellent. She left the officer to file her newest report to the emperor. She knew that he hoped for a diplomatic solution, even if she didn't agree with it, and he would be pleased to know that they had indeed located the alien capitol. If diplomacy failed, then they could attack it, and severely cripple the enemy. But for now they had to wait.

She checked in on her other officers. They were beginning to locate some outlying colonies and planets occupied by the aliens. Cataloguing their position and population, they would be able to strike back on their civilian population in case that they decided to attack. Le'Chaun smiled. She would see every single one of these alien bastards dead and their worlds ablaze if they attacked Earth. And she hoped the emperor would do the same. An eye for an eye.

* * *

**Lore.**

**The armed forces of the Empire: The Imperial Line Infantry.**

Numbers: As of 2159 there are 10.000 regiments of 50.000 men enrolled in the imperial line infantry regiments.

The imperial line infantry is the main ground military force of the empire of man. Made up of regular men and women, the line infantry is a lot less well equipped and trained than the legions, but what they lack in weapons and training, they make up for in sheer numbers and determination. Training intensively for two years, and then serving for another eight, the line infantry are the occupation and protection force of the empire and are used as the colonial ground defense, once the legions withdraw. They are equipped with a large armored contingency which makes them highly mobile, circumventing and surrounding any heavy resistance that they might meet. They are loyal, obedient and strong, the incarnation of the Empire of Man. Without a personal fleet contingency however, most of the regiments are stuck planetside when they arrive at their designated location. The admiralty board has, as of 2135, decided that a full third of the regiments should be space capable by the year 2164.

**The equipment of the average infantryman:**

**Weapons: **

Mark III "Longbow".

The main weapons of an infantryman is the 1,5 meter long 4,5 kg heavy Mark III "Longbow" riffle. With an 1.200 RPM it has a relatively slow rate of fire, this is counterweighted by it larger penetration power and stopping power which, unlike the "Gladius" is centered on a much smaller area. The effect on the enemy and its shields is not as devastating as the "Gladius" but makes for a much easier armor penetration. The riffle is easy to maintain, easy to use and disassemble and easy to repair, it will work under almost any conditions and is also very precise up to 3.600 meters.

With a clip capacity of 150, each infantryman carrying ten magazines, and with a number of tactical attachments, the "Longbow" is a versatile, reliable and trusty weapon. Used by all Infantrymen, even weapons teams, officers and specialist, it is the main weapon of the Imperial line infantry.

Mark XV "Carnivore".

Every infantryman is equipped with a "Carnivore" sidearm. With a weight of 1,2 kg and a length of 32 cm, the gun is larger than most sidearm but comparatively light. It has a clip capacity of 11 rounds, each infantryman carrying 4 magazines, and a 200 RPM firing speed. It is most often considered either as a last resort, or as a room clearance weapon. It has a monstrous recoil, but a kick that could make the "Gladius" envious. It is truly a terrifying weapon and it has been banned from any form of private or civilian use do to the fact that neither the army or the law enforcement has anything that can withstand its penetration power. It was initially intended for the legions, but after the "Gladius" received its close combat upgrade, it was deemed unnecessary and was therefore given to the Line infantry as a more powerful supplement to close quarter fighting than their unwieldy riffle.

Mark XX "Raptor" bayonet.

Intended to be used both as a bayonet, to be attached on the riffle, and a knife, to be used by hand, the 30 cm long "Raptor" uses the same technology as the larger vibroblade, but at a much reduced strength and penetration power due to the reduced size and the smaller battery-pack inserted in the handle. It is still however a nasty piece of work that can cut through weakened joints and flesh with ease.

Mark II "Carrier" Grenades.

Each infantryman is equipped with six "Carrier" grenades. Inside each grenade are one-hundred-and-twenty highly volatile and explosive pellets. Once the grenade goes off, either on impact or timer regulated, these are scattered in every direction, within an eight meter radius, where they then lodge to anything they find and simultaneously explode. The results can be very lethal, or very painful for those not fortunate enough to die immediately.

**Armor:**

Mark VI Umbratech Chameleonic Fragmentation armor.

A light, flexible and enduring suit, the UCF armor is the most common suit of armor throughout the regiments. It is integrated with a highly sophisticated chameleonic camouflage ability that allows the infantryman to blend in with his surroundings while at the same time masking their heat signature and life signs. The armor can take a great deal of punishment and has a built in shield that can take a good deal of damage before shortening out. The armors main weakness is its weak joints that has a considerable smaller amount of protection. It is however a good armor that will serve any infantryman well, if maintained properly and regularly.

Mark XVII Umbratech Special Heavy Armor.

The special heavy armor is designed for the line infantry's own shock troopers. Much thicker, stronger and heavier, the USH armor is utilized by the "Grenadier" squads of the line infantry. Specialized heavy squads who are expected to take a lot more fire than the average infantryman and therefor need better armor. The armor is bulky but protective. Its heavy shield pack and heavy padding along the back and chest makes the armor look quite unwieldy, but in fact, with proper training, this armor is only slightly less flexible than the UCF armor. It is, however, difficult to maintain and very expensive. Therefore it is only the Grenadiers that utilizes this armor type. It is almost as protective as the suits used by the legions. Therefor the Grenadiers have also received the nickname "Green line legionnaires".

**Panzer contingency:**

Even though it is called the "Imperial line infantry" the regiments also have a large contingenc of armored personal carriers and tanks, making the regiments highly mobile. As of 2142 the Imperial general command has aimed to equip every second squad with some sort of armored transport.

1.200 "Kalman" medium tanks.

The battle tanks of the regiments. These tanks are equipped with a semi-automatic 120 mm canon and two 40 mm automatic cannons. They are usually used as the spearhead of an attack but can also be used as armored support or even transport. They are long vehicles with an extended back that allows up to eight infantrymen to ride on it into battle. They are conveniently equipped with handles to make the ride safer for the men. Their heavy front armor allows the tanks to soak up a good deal of punishment, but they are very vulnerable to mines and attacks from the rear. Their top speed of 64 MPH makes it a fast tank that can punch its way through enemy line with ease.

2.200 "Razorback" APCs.

These APCs are equipped with a 60 mm fully automatic twin-turret. They have a top speed of 88 MPH and can carry ten men into battle. They are lightly armored and lightly equipped but they provide good cover for the men once disembarked. It is considered an obsolete vehicle by many generals but remains in wide use throughout the regiments.

200 "Dragonboat" transport gunships.

Equipped with two 30 mm dorsal cannons and a twin-linked 45 mm underslung cannon, The "Dragonboat" transport gunship has a carrying capacity of eight soldier and is used as quick insertion transportation. The helicopters are equipped with stealth technology that allows them to remain undetected from radar and other such devices. Hugely popular amongst the regiments, the "Dragonboat" is an old design and has undergone many upgrades to make them both stealthier and faster. With a top speed of 220 MPH they can rocket past most hostile emplacements to place soldiers on strategically important locations.

400 "Thunderbolt" attack gunships.

Heavily armed attack gunships, they are designed to soften an enemy line prior to attack. Removing any obstacle that obstructs a quick and easy victory. Usually employed as tank hunters or aerial escort, the "thunderbolt" is armed with a twin-linked 55 mm Cannon and several rocket systems to allow it to act both as an anti-tank and anti-personal assault vehicle. It is a relatively new addition to the infantry and is yet to be tested extensively.

* * *

A/N

I am in dire need of a beta reader. If anyone is interested please PM me. I could really use the help. And then to the bad news. The next weeks or so my uploads may be a bit more sporadic than they have been, so hope you will be patient. At least I will have time to plan the next few chapters ;)


	6. Chapter 6

_June 27__th__ 2161. The Citadel. 06:18. Terran standard time. The Council chambers._

"… And so I do not believe that letting the Migrant Fleet continue roaming the galaxy is an option. They are simply too hard to contain". The Asari Councilor, Sadra T'lian, was embroiled in yet another discussion with her fellow council members regarding the future of the Quarian race. It seemed that that was the only thing they were discussing these days.

Markaus Aurelian, the Turian councilor, shook his head forcefully, his mandibles twitched in annoyance.

"No, we cannot allow the Quarians to settle a planet. It would be admittance that our punishment was too harsh. Have you forgotten that they were the ones to unleash the Geth upon our galaxy? Furthermore, I refuse to surrender a perfectly good dextro-amino world to them, they are scarce enough as it is without us having to hand them out to the beggars of the galaxy."

Sadra rubbed her brow. It was always the same with him. He never saw the big picture. The Quarians had become an increasingly frequent topic at the council's sessions. Especially their new ability to simply vanish for weeks at a time, had been a topic that they had discussed at length. They were still searching for a viable solution to the 'Quarian' problem.

"In case you have forgotten, Aurelian, I was there when it all happened. I remember why the Quarians were evicted from the Citadel, I was one of the three to make the decision. And for the last time, I am not suggesting that the Turians surrender one of their worlds. I'm simply stating the need to come up with a new solution."

She looked over at Vedra Inostre, the Salarian councilor, who had remained silent throughout the debate. Withholding anything that he might know from the Salarians extensive spy-network. He was staring at a dataslate on his table, his eyes darting from side to side as he was reading the information scribbled on it.

"Then what are you suggesting, if I may ask?"

Aurelian leaned across his table to look intently at the Asari councilor. He looked at her expectantly, clearly waiting for her to suggest that they give aid or shelter to the Quarians.

"I suggest that we find a system and quarantine them within it. Of course, that system would have to contain a modicum of resources to sustain them, but otherwise it does not need to contain any habitable planets. A blockade, enforced by the Turian fleet, would be put in place. It would be a temporary solution. But it would give us breathing room."

Aurelian leaned back and grabbed his chin, contemplating the suggestion. Sadra had, through her many years as a counselor of the Asari, learned how to read her fellow councilors. She knew when she had them and when she was winning an argument. The Turian councilor liked her suggestion. It spoke to the sense of order and control that all Turians had. They liked to have things in their right places, and everything had a place. Even the Quarians.

Suddenly, Vedra perked up and hid his dataslate in a pocket somewhere in his robes. He cleared his voice before taking the word.

"I do not believe that this is a viable option."

Both of the other councilors looked at him intently. He pulled out another dataslate from another pocket, scrolling through the information.

"The Quarians possess the single largest military capable fleet in the galaxy. To quarantine them in a system would prompt them to make rash and aggressive acts. They would be forced to attack the ships that would guard them out of sheer necessity. We all know that they need a large amount of resources to sustain the fleet and that quarantining them in a system it would simply be a question of time before they would need to break free."

The Turian councilor sprung to his feet.

"They wouldn't dare. And if they did we would put them down. Hard."

There it was, Sadra thought, he knows about the 'Graceful ascendance'. The ship had completely disappeared almost three full cycles ago. She had managed to suppress the news, but sooner or later the two other councilors would become suspicious. It was a Spectre who had captained that ship, and so the entire council would be interested in whatever she had discovered. But since the spectre had been aboard an Asari military vessel she had been able to keep it a secret. But apparently, somehow, Vedra had discovered it. She didn't know how, but then again it didn't matter, she just had to deal with it.

She got to her feet and looked at the Turian councilor before she cleared her throat.

"Indeed councilors, I have some disturbing news to share."

The two other council members looked at her, Aurelian expectantly, and Inostre bored, before she continued.

"The Asari cruiser captained by the spectre Vamara Me'ana, as you know, was sent to assist the Turians monitoring the Quarians and to report to the council."

Aurelian looked up, either expecting the Asari to patronize the Turians for failing to locate the Quarians, or for her to divulge something that he would be very interested in hearing. The failings of the Asari.

"About three cycles ago we lost all contact with the 'Graceful ascendance'. It was sent to a system were resent activity had been detected. Shortly after arriving, it disappeared."

There was silence in the chambers. Aurelian looked shocked. It was one thing for the Quarians to fire upon a military vessel. But a vessel captained by a council spectre. That was almost a declaration of war onto the council itself. It was unheard of! Not since the Krogan had anything like that happened.

"And you believe that the Quarians have turned hostile? That they are actively trying to avoid the Council and citadel space because they are gearing up for war?"

He looked at her eagerly. This was why the Turians were members of the council. They were the single largest military force in the galaxy. If the Quarians had the biggest fleet, the Turians had the one with the most powerful guns. The sheer number of dreadnoughts and cruiser could take on and defeat any enemy they might face.

"I'm saying no such thing Aurelian. It is simply a statement. They might have crashed, they might have had a malfunction, there might be a dozen reasons. It is simply fact. The cruiser has disappeared while searching for the Quarians."

There was silence in the room. Each of them contemplating what to do next. Then Enostre broke the silence.

"The STG are prepared to invest a large amount of resources into finding the Migrant Fleet. We believe that it is of the utmost important for the future security of Citadel space to know the whereabouts of the Quarians. We have already prepared several squads to be deployed and probes to be launched into the area. We are also developing a new device to be planted on the ships so that they won't be able to evade us any longer."

He looked at the others expectantly. Waiting for their approval. No doubt he would go ahead anyway. But it would be good politically if they could all agree, instead of pursuing each their own line of inquiry that would no doubt turn out to be counterproductive.

Sadra looked at Aurelian. He nodded, seemingly pleased with the suggestion. She could understand its merits. It was not a direct military action, as the Turians suggested, but neither was it a purely diplomatic move that would allow the Quarians to maneuver around it. It would be a good way to establish control of the rampant fleet.

"It seems that we are all agreed then? Good, then we can continue with the next order of the day. The Hanar wish to establish another colony close to the border of the..."

* * *

_June 27__th__ 2161. Somewhere in the Attican Traverse. 07:11. Terran standard time. Aboard the MFV "Narshya"_

Admiral Mazar Zaron Vas Rvian, admiral of the scientific fleet, was exhausted. The admiralty board had had non-stop meetings the last week. They had constantly been discussing reports from the ships that had been coaming the quadrant for habitual planets. They were becoming desperate. They needed resources, they needed room, and they needed security. But they were on edge of Citadel law.

"We need to turn back. We need to inform the Citadel of our position. If we stay hidden much longer, they might become aggressive. They might punish us."

Admiral Vira Avah Vas Nevya, the admiral of the heavy fleet, had always been a cautious person, always opting for the safe path, the one least likely to cause the death of Quarians. That was part of the reason why she had become the admiral of the heavy fleet. She had been talking against their disappearance, and searching after a colony had been too much for her. She was frantic and on the verge of panic. But she was quickly dismissed by the admiral of the civilian fleet, Hiri Havaroh Vas Tavrain.

"It's too late now. They would punish us no matter what we do. I wouldn't be surprised if they quarantine us to some barren system somewhere near the terminus borders. Our only chance is to find a new planet so that we can prepare for our attack on Rannoch. And I'd like to see the Council try and stop us when we outfit all our ships with weapons."

Mazar could hear her grin through her mask. She had always been the most energetic of the Admirals. Always preaching war with the Geth, and colonizing distant planets to create a powerbase from which to strike. She stood straight and crossed her arms, looking at the gathered admirals.

Mazar had regretted creating the 'Ghost projector' numerous times over the last few months. It was a simple thing really. It would project the signatures of the ships so that the most delicate satellites and sonars would pick up their radiation and heat, thereby believing that the fleet was still there. Even when they had left several hours earlier. With the device, they had been able to avoid the Council patrols and ships, so that they might examine a distant planet. That way they could keep the Council from knowing their true purpose out here, so close to the Attican traverse.

"But we are going against a council edict. They would probably just give us some minor restrictions if we come forward of our own free will. We can avoid a large uncomfortable political episode if we simply surrender ourselves to them."

Mazar had to admit, her suggestion did have some merit. But they had already come this far, and he was beginning to like the idea of finding a new planet to colonize. They could even hide their civilians there, ensuring that they wouldn't be in harm's way when the big confrontation with the Geth came.

"Why should we abide by council law? We aren't even a council species. We aren't even in citadel space. They have no authority over us. I say damn the council! They can lord it over their own species and territory. They don't get to decide what we do anymore."

There was a murmur of agreement from the gathered admirals. Most of them had had enough of the citadel council deciding what they could and couldn't do. They never received any aid from them, no resources, shelter or military support. They only ever received threats and restrictions.

They then went to discuss the planets that they believed had real prospects of a small colonization effort. There were a despairingly small number of dextro-amino planets in the galaxy and most of the known ones were in the possession of the Turians. They had thus far only been able to locate three planets with a dextro-amino based life form, that didn't have bacterial life or such that would immediately kill their people. Even within their suits, they could still be vulnerable if they lived on a planet hostile to them.

Two of them were little more than barren rocks in the same system. They might have some resources on them, but spreading out across to many systems would leave them vulnerable, and open to attack. Which left them only one planet.

"It looks pleasant enough, initial scans show that it could be colonized, no bacteria or other life forms hostile to Quarians. Well nothing out of the ordinary. We need more complete scans before we can establish whether or not it is suitable for mining operations."

Mazar had to agree. The pictures and vids showed a forested green planet. Seemingly teeming with life and suitable for habitation. Of course, the Quarians didn't need it to be habitual since they never left their suits. But if it was in a hostile and hazardous environment, then they would lose people to even the smallest of suit breaches. Mazar was intrigued, but he had to remain calm. The still didn't know if they should invest their very limited resources in colonizing this particular planet.

"I believe that further testing and scans are needed before we can decide whether or not to begin our effort and invest in this planet. But I believe that we should send in more teams to gather the necessary data."

The other admirals agreed. They had to be careful, they had to be smart. This far into unknown space they didn't just have to beware of the Council, but also any other unknown threat from the stars. It could turn out to become quite the disaster if they made a hostile encounter with some Batarian slavers or other such occurrences.

Before returning to discussing the council and how they would remain hidden, they all had one last look at a mysterious report that they had received from one of their ships. It spoke of a Council spectre, sent out to monitor them, disappearing when she examined a system. They had initially believed that it had been an accident, but now some of their researchers said that the scans from the neighboring system indicated that weapons had been fired.. None of them would admit it, but they were fearful of the vindictive wrath of the council. And if there was one thing they didn't need now, it was a large fleet of military ships parked right next to them, threatening them with annihilation. Ancestors knew they were close enough to being a footnote in galactic history as it was.

* * *

_June 27__th__ 2161. In Earth's orbit. 09:31. Terran standard time. The Emperors personal Cruiser "Benevolence"._

Augustus was sitting with his feet on the large, dark mahogany table that was placed near the back of his large, well-furnished room on his personal cruiser. It had been an expensive purchase, funding it out of his own pocket. But he was a rich man, thanks to his grandfather's wise investments, and his father's own purchases during the financial crisis under his reign had secured his position as the single richest man in the Empire.

But still, a cruiser was a multi-billion purchase, and the furnishing alone had been nearly a quarter of the budget. But he had to admit, it was great PR. Arriving at a colony in the red and gold cruiser, taking meetings and interviews in his press room. Or being updated on current events while he was light-years away, surveying a new colony. But right now, he was using the cruiser for a different purpose.

"And how many cruisers do they have? If our new recruitment push is as extensive as you predict, then we need more ships."

He was in a secret meeting with his 'Personal advisor' Anne Ferdanow, with whom he was discussing the development of the 'Dönitz initiative'. It had originally been started late in his father's reign. But he had expanded on it, improved it. It was top secret, only he and a handful of other outside the organization knew of its existence.

"Counting the two under construction, we now number 12 transports, 8 sub-space frigates and 5 cruisers. That is including the carrier-cruiser. It should be more than enough to transport the number of men employed within the organization at this time next year."

Excellent. He needed the organization up and running as quickly as possible. Not only had they located an alien government with huge fleets and numerous colonies, but he had also lost a good deal of the positive public opinion after his stunt in the senate. But he had prepared for that. Humanity needed an organization which could get their hands dirty. An organization which could work in the dark, under his command, doing what needed to be done.

"Good. Return to your post and inform me when all the recruiters have returned. Until then you are not to contact me through the usual channels. Send a request for a meeting through my secretary, then I will tell you where to meet me"

She bowed and left, leaving him with the gathered reports from all of the operations he had running. Especially the alien technological and linguistics group interested him greatly. He had been visiting their 'guest' repeatedly the last days. Talking with her, getting to know her. He used the translator to hear and understand what she said. It worked wonderfully, but without a receiver of her own, she wouldn't understand a word of what he said. And he preferred that she didn't know that he could understand her. It gave him an advantage.

He looked over one of the reports he had received. It described the progress of the ships under construction. He had personally approved the doubling of the Empires military budget, with the construction of more than a thousand transportation ships and two new capitol ships being the largest contributors to the increase in spending, and he was now looking at the progress made in their planning. The quadrupling of the military construction crews meant that they had severely cut down the construction time of both ships, tanks and weapons.

He switched his attention to the next report. It was about the colonization effort and the number of people relocated to the various colonies and mining stations the empire possessed. He quickly skimmed over the text and halfway through he simply skipped to the summary to see how many people lived on the colonies, and planets were in Imperial possession. He saw with satisfaction, that the 'Alien menace' had not had a negative impact on the colonization effort. The summary read:

- Tier one 'garden worlds': 10

Gathered population: 54.213.982.

- Tier two 'Habitual worlds': 22

Gathered population: 23.112.453

- Tier three ' Terraforming colonies': 31

Personnel operating on T3-T colonies: 1.209.017

- Tier four 'Hazardous and/or resource collection colonies': 66

Personnel operating on T4-RC colonies: 6.981.578.

- Tier five 'Uninhabitable and/or hazardous with ongoing terraforming and/or Resource collection colonies or asteroids: 148

Personnel operating on T5-UH-RC colonies: 4.876.912

Changed in resource yield: + 04,21%

Change in population on colonies: yield: + 03,87%

Augustus couldn't help but feel proud of his people. In such a short time, they had managed to spread out across more than a hundred systems and several hundred planets or asteroids. Millions of people had migrated from Earth to the new frontier, working to advance the species. They trusted him, believed in him. And he would do everything in his power to be worthy of their faith.

He looked down at the draft of the speech which would soon be recorded and sent to the alien government, this so called 'Citadel'. It was a message with the promise of peace and co-existence, but also a hidden threat of retribution if they were indeed hostile. But with all the information they had gathered the past few days it would be safe to assume that they were indeed not hostile.

Their political system was remarkably similar to some of the old ones on Earth, and although they did seem to have a large fleet, exactly how large was still a mystery, they didn't have the overwhelming power or numbers as they had initially feared. He had consulted with the inner council, reaching a consensus had proven difficult.

The Grand admiral and General had both been in favor of a lightning and crippling attack, followed by peace negotiations while they were still on the offensive. The Consul and the prime minister had both spoken favorably of the idea of joining this Citadel, if they were able to obtain a good deal. Initially, none of the two sides were willing to discuss any other options, the military were intent on warfare while the publicly elected officials would allow human supremacy to be discarded in exchange for safety.

In the end they had all agreed on sending a message of peace and see how thing developed from there. If all went well then they might have made the single most important diplomatic move in history, securing trade and technological improvement the likes of which they had not experienced in almost a hundred years.

If things turned out bad? Well they always had a plan B. This one had been formed immediately after the encounter with the Asari. If they attacked us, annihilate them.

Then, there was a slight crackle as the intercom started, and the voice of the captain sounded.

"My lord. We are nearing the landing zone of the detention facility. Do you wish an escort to the cell?"

He tabbed on his multitool to open a direct channel to the Captain.

"No captain, I will find my own way to the cell. I have been here enough times now that I know my way around."

The captain acknowledged, and he got up from his black leather chair as he walked towards the shuttle-hangar. The landing zone was a good five kilometers from the site, for security reasons, so he had to take a shuttle to the facility. That gave him enough time to read through his speech once more. They had already recorded a short draft, but he needed an insider's opinion. He just hoped she would be cooperative.

* * *

_June 27__th__ 2161. Somewhere on Mars. 10:22 Terran standerd time. Top secret holding facility._

She had long ago stopped counting the hours of her incarceration. The whole ordeal, other than being embarrassing, was also mind numbingly dull. There was nothing to do all day but sit and wait for the 'Human' to visit. It was the only diversity to her time in the cell.

She guessed that at least three days had passed since she had been captured. In that time she had thought out half a dozen different escape plans. But she had elected to see out her initial plan of creating a diplomatic bond between her and her captives. The Human called Augustus had been visiting her at least twice every cycle. They communicated easily and she felt confident that she could, in time, secure a deal with him.

The doors to her cell opened to admit the heavily armed guards. They grabbed her and, in their usual fashion, transported her to the interview room where Augustus was waiting. She was glad to see him, he seemed civilized enough and he was the only one of these Humans with whom she could communicate.

She was chained to her chair and waited for Augustus to speak. But instead of pointing to different object and naming them, or name different persons, as had been their custom these last few days, he placed a spherical object on the table, while another human guard shoved a small bead into her ear.

Then a few seconds passed as Augustus touched some dials on the device before he looked at her. He spoke and she was shocked when she found that she understood him.

"Can you hear me? Do you understand what I am saying?"

By the goddess! They have made a translation device in just three days? But how?

She was quite shaken. Nobody had been able to complete such a feat of scientific creation since the Salariens initially created the universal translator back when they and the Asari had made first contact. But that had taken more than a month of close cooperation with the Asari and numerous lingual experts of both races. But these humans had managed to make one alone and without assistance from any other species.

"Yes. I understand you."

Augustus smiled at her, apparently pleased that the device worked both ways. He then handed her a dataslate to read. On it was a picture of her along with a lot of information. How have they been able to get that?

"You are Vamara Me'ana, a council spectre and an Asari. You were threatening a Human colony. We wish to know why. Do you wish war upon my species? Are you a military unit? What was your purpose?"

She contemplated telling him the truth, but chose not to. Apparently they had been able to dig out a lot of information about her and the Council. Any information they did not have was valuable. He was obviously afraid of what she might represent. She didn't blame him, first contacts could be very difficult, and she had already managed to mess this one up by pointing her ships guns at a Human colony.

"Yes. I am Spectre Vamara Me'ana. I was sent to investigate activity in the system. When I and my crew discovered a settlement on the planet we assumed that it was a pirate base or something similar."

It was a bad lie. But she wasn't thinking straight yet. She was still reeling from the fact that the Humans had created a translator, and she was scrambling to prepare herself for the torrent of questions.

"But I assure you, we had no idea that it was a colony of a new species. I and the Asari have no quarrel with you or your race. We did not know of your existence."

This seemed to calm the Human a good deal. Apparently they were afraid of an imminent reprisal or a large scale attack. She could use this to her advantage. The human interrupted her train of thought when he spoke again.

"What is your capacity within this 'Citadel council'. We have reason to believe that you are an officer or special agent under the command of this Council."

They knew about the council? They had indeed been industrious.

"I Am a council spectre, I guess you could call me a special agent. I act as a sort of peace maker or law enforcement. It is considered a very prestigious and honorable occupation."

He looked at her intently.

"So your voice carries weight within the council?"

This seemed important. He was staring at her with his piercing eyes, waiting for her answer. She found this quite unsettling. Is he going to ransom me? Use me as leverage of some kind?

"Yes. As a council spectre my word carries great weight within the Council. May I ask what your assignment is? What is your position within your race's government? I admit that you have me at a disadvantage here."

She needed to know who she was talking to, although she knew that his name was Augustus and that he was a politician or another form of leader, she had no idea what his position really was. They had been talking together for many hours these past few days, so she was not overly uncomfortable being able to communicate with him. It was actually quite a relief. To finally be able to communicate properly with him, to be able to discuss matters of importance. She could now begin to actually understand who she was talking to.

"I am Augustus Tiberius. I am one of the highest ranking members of the human government. I am afraid that, for the time being, that is all I wish to divulge. But rest assured that I speak for the human race. Am I to understand that you are able to speak on the behalf of your government?"

She understood his reluctance in giving her any information that was not strictly necessary. But she was pleased to discover that he was indeed a high ranking official. Then she could start negotiating.

"May I ask what happened to my crew? What is the status of my ship?"

Augustus looked slightly uncomfortable with this question. She knew that the Humans had attacked with brutal efficiency and used lethal force. She had, after all, been fighting them herself. But she hoped that a large group had been captured.

"I'm afraid that most of your crew was killed in action. We managed to take six of your crewmen captive. They have been given the best medical aid possible to make sure that they survived the ordeal. I would like to apologize on behalf of my species for this unfortunate incident. But I assure you that this was all the result of a grievous misunderstanding and that the human species only wish to live peacefully with its galactic neighbors."

By the goddess! They had killed almost all her crew, there had only seven survivors. Her entire crew was gone.

Although it was a hard blow to her personally, she had to keep her mind in the present. Her crew was dead, but she could still save the last of them. She might even establish some ties with the Humans. They were obviously looking for a diplomatic way out of their predicament. She could understand why. Whit all the knowledge they had managed to dig out, it was quite possible that they would also be aware of how ridiculously outgunned they were by the Citadel fleets. A new space faring species like the humans could not possibly hope to challenge the might of the gathered Turian, Asari and Salarian fleets.

If the Humans wished for peaceful negotiations, it was her duty as a Council spectre to give them every opportunity and chance to pursue that goal.

"Sir, as a council spectre I can carry a message back to my government and tell them of your existence. I can see that you have created efficient and powerful technology, you are clearly an enigmatic and clever species. But I assure you that it is nothing compared to the wonders and splendors possessed by the species of the Citadel. Your race is young, and alone in a large galaxy. The Citadel Council would be pleased to help you find your place within its fold. Together the species of the Citadel will help you grow and prosper."

It was a bad pitch. She wasn't used to doing this, no one had been in an actual first contact scenarios for more than a millennia. She might have said something offensive, but this was perhaps her only chance of intriguing the Human into helping her.

But despite her lacking abilities, Augustus looked interested. His eyes gleaming and his mouth twisted upwards in a small smile.

"We wish to pursue peaceful relations with the Citadel Council. I, and other representatives of the human race, have together decided to extend the hand of friendship to the Asari people and the other species of the Citadel. Will the citadel extend a hand in return?"

Goddess, she could hardly believe it. He had actually taken her offer. Although she had meant every word of her pitch she had no illusions of her abilities as an orator. But it seemed that she would get away with it. Maybe she and her crew would make it out alive after all.

"I would be pleased to plead your case in front of the gathered council. If you would let me and my crew leave for the citadel, I assure you that we can form diplomatic bonds between the elected officials of your race, and the Citadel council and avert a potential catastrophy."

For some reason she could not comprehend, Augustus eyes furrowed and his mouth turned into an angry snarl. He shot to his feet and in a low, threatening voice he said.

"I assure you miss. If you intend to threaten us, or take hostile actions against us, then I must say this. Humanity will do everything in our power to defend ourselves."

She could not understand this sudden turn of events. Her reply had been pleasant and friendly. She had not threatened them in the least.

"I am sorry if I have offended you sir. The Council species have no intention of attacking the human race. I merely meant that an investigation would perhaps be launched. If we could talk to my seniors and tell them what happened, perhaps the unpleasantries could be avoided and positive relations could be established."

Immediately his mood turned. He smiled once more and he looked pleased with her answer. Whatever she had done to offend him had apparently been remedied by her words. He sat back down on his chair before they resumed their discussion.

They talked at some length. Vamara felt that she was gaining the upper hand. The human seemed eager for her to go to the Citadel and talk to the Council. And in truth, she was eager to leave the holding facility herself. But they needed to make sure that they were on the same page. Vamara was promised that she, and the remainder of her crew, would be transported to the Citadel, as long as they announced the human presence and their willingness to engage in diplomatic negotiations.

When the meeting ended the guards came for her. But instead of escorting her to her cell, they removed her restraints and led her to an elevator. She was then shown to a room, furnished with a proper bed, a large well-crafted table and other luxurious furniture. She was informed that, since she was now recognized as a diplomat, she would receive a larger amount of freedom. She could use all the rooms and facilities on the floor she currently occupied. She would not be restrained and that her belongings, bar her weapons and communication device, would be returned.

When the guards left, Vamara could still hardly believe the rapid improvement of her position. She had received proper clothing, proper facilities and freedom of movement. Her and her crew were even going home to the citadel in a matter of days. _These humans are an interesting species. I look forward to seeing how they will handle their time as a Citadel protectorate._

* * *

_ June 27__th__ 2161. In Earth's orbit. 17:31. Terran standard time. The Emperors personal Cruiser "Benevolence"._

Augustus was quite pleased with the encounter. It seemed that the captive Asari and himself shared the same goals. Of course, he suspected that she was lying, or at least was only telling half-truths, but they needed time and knowledge. If they could make a peaceful encounter with the alien government, then perhaps they could take it from there. One step at a time. Besides, he hadn't been too honest himself.

He poured himself a generous amount of watered down wine before he sat down in his most comfortable, leather covered chair. That was another one of the benefits of traveling with his own cruiser. The military ones, of course, had been lavishly furnished whenever he used them. But it wasn't ever really pleasant.

A servant walking in and placed a big golden tray with an assortment of sweets and other delicacies on the large table. He dismissed the servant immediately, he desired to be alone at the moment.

Once the servant had left, he took a sip of his glass and ate a piece of one of the strawberry and chocolate pieces. He rarely had time to just sit and relax. With his conversation with the alien, he had felt a great weight being removed from his shoulders. But the alien problem, for the time being, had been dealt with. And the next meeting wasn't scheduled for another two hours, so he had a short respite before his royal duties would once again occupy him.

For the first hour he simply sat, enjoying his wine and his food. But then, his curiosity got the better of him. Fishing out his dataslate, he looked at the newest update on the reports from the various task-groups. He was pleased to see the extensive progress that had been made on the "Plan B" project. Although he hoped that the encounter with the alien government would progress peacefully, he had no illusion as to what would happen if they turned hostile. He planned on making sure that they would not live long if they were.

He then decided to commence the next phase of his plan to regain his standing in the senate. He had tailored an ingenious plan to assure that the Senate would not become too unruly while he secured peace with the aliens. Humans needed to establish a presence in the galaxy. Shoving a united front to this 'Citadel council' would be a big step in that direction.

He uploaded the recording of the interview with the Asari spectre. The black spherical object on the table had been a recording device which had been able to record and file every word the Asari had said, and change the tone in which she said it. And the senate would just love what he had to show them when he was done doing a little editing.

* * *

_June 27__th__ 2161. Empire City. 18:39. Terran standard time. The Senate chambers._

"No! I will not tolerate any such votes taking place in these hallowed halls. I cannot allow anti imperial behavior to seep into this assembly."

The speakers head was completely red. He was yelling at the top of his ancient lungs. His ire was directed at an unfortunate senator who had suggested that they rule that the emperor should be deprived of all his official and senatorial power.

Leo Nemak had intended to support the proposition. What the emperor had done defiled the true meaning of the Empire. He had made the Senate redundant, silenced the voice of the people, only to take emergency power for himself. He had made many enemies on that day.

A murmur ran through the gathered senators. The speaker did not have the authority to ban a vote, but he had made the others nervous. The past few years had seen the newly established Republican Party grow from a small unknown party, into the second most supported party in the Senate. While the Republicans outside the Senate were widely regarded as terrorists and dissidents, there was nothing outright illegal in being a republican. As long as one didn't promote anti Imperial activity.

There were some theories that said that the terrorist organizations were supporting the Party. But no link had been found by any investigations. So the ideas had been dropped. But Leo still suspected that they received their funding from the small groups of republicans on the colonies, or funded them themselves.

"I'm doing no such thing! I'm simply stating the need in restricting the Emperors power to a more... Reasonable level."

The Consul, Kiel, was sitting on his seat, silently watching the whole affair. The last few days had been hard on him. He was torn between following his instincts and support the senator, and following his own sense of self preservation. While the young emperor was not considered either a cruel or power hungry man, he had changed a great deal since the discovery of the aliens. They had all sensed it. And they didn't like it.

But the speaker would have none of it. He was a stout imperialist, and he was a firm supporter of the Tiberius line.

"The Emperor had the senate's mandate to accumulate power behind his hallowed position, for our own protection. He received emergency power after a unanimous vote."

The mood in the senate chamber immediately turned sour. They all felt betrayed, ridiculed even. The Emperor had cheated them all, had used his knowledge to gain power. And there was nothing the senate could do. The consul was powerless, the senate was powerless, the only one who had any sway with the emperor was the inner council, but without the senate, the people didn't have a voice in the political debate.

"We are all well aware of how the emperor received his powers. But most of the senate was not present. Surely a vote taken without the majority of the senators, and without the consul, present, cannot be ratified by the assembly. I am sure that he had only the most noble intentions, but now, with the immediate threat seemingly gone, we can return to normal conditions. Surely it's for the best of the people."

There was some agreement from the assembly. They would all like to see thing returned to normal. But the speaker shook his head. He was the most senior member of the assembly, with decades spent on the benches of the senate. He knew every rule, every trick, every loophole in the laws. He knew the rules, and he knew when the senate was beaten.

"Emergency conditions were in place, so the "Dead hand" protocol was in effect. The Emperor can, with those senators present and alive, vote to give emergency power to a single individual. For the emergency power to be returned, the emperor has to agree, or two years has to pass before the senate can vote to remove it from him. It is stated so clearly in the constitution."

They continued for hours. Someone would come with a suggestion of how they might restraint the emperor and his power, only to find out that the emperor would need to agree to the law for it to work.

Leo had lost all interest in the proceedings when he felt a gentle brush against his right shoulder. He looked over and saw a senator, Mrs. Brylia Anderson if he was not mistaken, lean close to him.

"Interesting is it not? All of these votes and suggestions of how to decrease the emperors power."

Leo knew what she wanted. So he played along.

"One could say that the emperor has too much sway over the senate. Is that what you're suggesting?"

She smiled at him, pleased that he would skip all the formalities of secret agreements and go right to the core.

"Yes one might say that. If one was to suggest that the emperor has become to power hungry. Maybe it is time to restrict the powers of the old Tiberius line."

This was new. He had already been approached by numerous senators asking that he and his party support a proposition limiting the powers of the emperor. But now, it seemed that the Republicans had grown bold enough to actually limit the powers of the Tiberius line.

"One would suggest that it is perhaps dangerous."

He didn't exactly dislike the idea. Augustus had proven that they had far too much power over the senate. The emperors had always been powerful, but none of them had been quite as bold as young Augustus, it had been a wakeup call.

"But one would be favorable to the idea. It is perhaps time for changes in the government of the Empire. If one was to receive some small compensation."

Mrs. Anderson smiled. Pleased that they had arrived at an understanding so quickly.

"Oh indeed. One would receive the support of a rather large party."

With that she shuffled back to her seat, making an effort not to look like she was an anti-Imperial. Leo drew a deep breath. This was dangerous, but necessary work. The emperor was becoming more and more dangerous. In just three days he had single handedly taken absolute power over the empire, making every decision alone, often without counseling. He might bring the empire to its knees. They had to do something.

Then the doors to the hall opened. Striding in, looking confident and regal, was the emperor. He walked directly to his throne, overlooking the gathered senators, and motioned for the speaker.

"Speaker! I request the floor!"

The speaker looked at the emperor, then to the gathered assembly.

"The floor recognizes the Emperor, Augustus Tiberius, the fourth emperor of mankind."

Augustus straightened and looked at the gathered men and women of the senate. His steely eyes piercing every one of the present officials.

"I have just returned from a meeting with the leader of the alien force we encountered on the verge of our holdings."

A holo-recording of Augustus, sitting across from a beautiful blue woman, with hair that resembled tentacles, shot out from the back of the throne. Every senator gasped. This was the first time that they had actually seen the aliens. They looked so human.

The emperor and the alien were talking. It seemed pleasant enough. Somehow, they were able to understand what the alien said. Apparently, they had some kind of translator in the room. He had already heard that the scientists had created such a device and was pleased to see it in use.

"I and the alien leader engaged in a discussion, I wished to remedy the damage done and assured her that we would like to form a friendship with their race."

In the recording they heard the alien affirm that she was a powerful person within her government.

"As a council spectre my word carries great weight within the Council I act as a peace maker and law enforcement. It is a very prestigious and honorable occupation."

He was surprised. They had captured such a high ranking member of the alien government. Then Augustus spoke, his voice grooving angry as he said his next words.

"But after some time, she threatened us, grieving for her crew, she assured me that they would retaliate."

On the recording, they could see the female alien, staring at Augustus.

"I will carry a message back to my government and tell them of your existence. I see that you have created efficient technology, you are clearly an clever species. But I assure you that it is nothing compared to the wonders and splendors possessed by the species of the Citadel. Your race is young, and alone in a large galaxy. The Citadel Council would be pleased to find you a place within its fold. The Citadel will grow and prosper

Suddenly, the Augustus in the recording shot to his feet, looking angry yet firm, before the recording stopped.

"While most of the discussion progressed peacefully, she assured me that they would retaliate if we would not submit to the rule of this 'Citadel'. I refused and after a long negotiation I was able to talk her into leading us to her leaders. There we will make ourselves known and solidify our position as a strong independent race who only wish to live in peace with their people."

There was a stunned silence in the hall. Gone were the voices of dissidence and anger. The Emperor had fought for their rights against the aliens. He had negotiated a half-peace with the alien leader and would lead them to the alien government.

Someone began to cheer. Then the cheer was picked up by other senators. Soon, the entire room reverberated with the shouts of the senators.

Leo couldn't help but feel awed. He had assumed that the emperor had simply taken emergency power in a bid to solidify his position as the ruler of the human race. But he had actually needed it to secure peace. He had saved the human race.

He got to his feet and cheered with his fellow senators. Perhaps it was not such a bad thing that he possessed absolute power after all. Maybe he really did have humanity's best interests at heart. But just to be sure, he would make sure to contribute to the Republican coffers. No reason in being unprepared.

* * *

_June 29__th__ 2161. The Widow system. 08:23. Terran standard time. Aboard the Imperial frigate 'Wolfblade'._

Vamara drew a deep breath. She was finally back. She hadn't realized that she had been so stressed. While she had only been in captivity for five days, it felt like an eternity. But now, so close to home, she could feel all those worries she had carried with her fall from her shoulders. And it felt wonderful.

"Arriving in the system in a few minutes ma'am. What are your order?"

She and her remaining crew had received a frigate as their personal transportation. They carried with them a message from the Humans. But she did not have access to it. They had agreed to escort a human envoy to the council, he would then present them with the message. She was once again quite pleased with herself. She had managed to not only save her few remaining crewmembers and get safe passage to the Citadel, but also to get the humans to come along, and present themselves to the council.

Indeed, this was all changing from an enormous disaster, to quite the success.

They suddenly decelerated violently, and she was almost sick, but she was able to contain herself and walked up to the cockpit to have a better view of the surroundings. In front of her, looking out of the foremost windows, she could see the citadel. She wasted no time in sending the appropriate codes through every channel that she was able to detect, ordering the crew to power down every weapon and all of their shields. She only had a few seconds before every single ship in the system would point their guns at her and fire. An unidentified intruder near the Citadel would not be kindly received.

The frigate was a standard human design, or so she had been told, and they had started the trip only a few hours ago. The speed with which they traveled was astonishing. She did not know how they were able to travel with such speed, as far as she was aware they had not been near any mass relays. But of course, that was impossible. Nothing could travel at such speeds without the use of the Prothean technology that all races of the citadel used. Perhaps she was closer to home than she had initially thought and they had merely been a long FTL jump away. But then why hadn't they discovered the humans before?. She had used her free time before her departure trying to dig up anything she could about the humans. Their military, their fleet, their technology and the positions of their planets. But her access to any information had been severly restricted. She couldn't find anything. And that annoyed her greatly.

"This is Council spectre Vamara Me'ana, code 2572384/232-A-H-L. Returning from council mission. I am onboard an undesignated frigate heading towards the Citadel. Please respond."

She waited anxiously. For her to come this far, only to be shot down by a security vessel would just be too much. She was sweating, she was so close now, so close, but only one shot from ending everything.

Then the radio crackled.

"This is Captain Markus Anilius of the Turian dreadnought 'Armored fury'. Code is confirmed. Go to doc number 21C. We will be escorting you into doc. Follow this route precisely, if you diverge from it we will assume that you have hostile intent. Anilius out."

They received the data which they followed precisely. She knew that if they strayed, then the Turian would shoot them out of the sky.

They docked without incident. The human crew was very efficient, following every instruction without complaint. They would make a good addition to the Citadel Council she thought. She and her remaining crew stood ready at the airlock, waiting for the all clear to sound, and all of them feeling a little anxious about what would come next. After all, they did travel on a ship from a previously unknown species, and they would soon report to the Council about what had transpired the last five days. Then, with a hiss of air escaping, the door opened.

On the other side stood two full squads of C-sec officers, fully armed and armored. Waiting for them, with their guns pointing strait into the room beyond the airlock.

"Stand down men, I know who she is, i can verify her security clearance."

An Asari, walking out of the group, came up to her. She did recognize her. It was Miana Le'Vian. A lieutenant in C-sec. She had helped her with a few cases before, mostly drug related, and she knew her to be a reliable and honest officer. The look of shock on her face was almost comical.

"Vamara! I heard that your ship was lost. What happened?"

She couldn't help but smile. She was back on the Citadel. And by the goddess did she have a report to make.

"Miana, I have something of the greatest importance to show the council. I need an escort to the Presidium, as fast as possible."

* * *

**Lore: The Emperors of Terra.**

* * *

Emperor Arthur Tiberius. 1st emperor. Reign: 9th of April 2058 - October 26th 2069. Cause of Death: Heart failure and other stress related disseases. Age: 73.

Emperor Arthur Tiberius, the founder of the Empire, started his career as the chairman of the Euro-Asian gathering. During the negotiations considering the implementation of a gathered government, he was the first to suggest a figurehead to lead the new nation. The man would not receive any real power, but he would become a powerful symbol who could unify the populace. It was a popular idea, but they were unable to decide who would be that person.

At some point, when it seemed that none of the sides were able to reach an agreement, Arthur Calaghan suggested that he receive the position. But the African union and the American League were against the idea, the Euro-Asian gathering was already the most powerful union on Earth, if their chairman received the role of figurehead then what was to stop them from using the power to take over the world?

The solution was to create a three part government. The Emperor, the senate, and the ministry. While the Imperial crown would be hereditary, going from father to son, the senators and minister would be selected from the most able members of the species. While Arthur Calaghan would be crowned Emperor, the leader of the African Union, Obeno Moraman, would elected as the first Consul of the senate, and the leader of the American League, Michal O'leary, would become the first prime minister. That way, two of them could restrict the power of the third.

He was crowned on the 9th of April 2058. His first act, in cooperation with Moraman and O'leary, was the "Midnight protocol". But the role Moraman and O'leary was mostly forgotten. What followed was a large campaign of public relations and stunts to firmly place Arthur Calaghan, now Arthur Tiberius, as the leader of all men and woman.

While he was not universally liked by his subjects, his continued public appearances and speeches made him a very public figure. In time, he became the face of human scientific and economic endeavor. When the masses started feeling the benefits of a global cooperation between all the human states, he was the one who received the praise. And so, the emperor became a symbol of progress, wealth and prosperity.

During his reign, he started many movements and spearheaded many votes and initiatives for the improvement of living conditions for the vast majority of the residents of Earth. Universal healthcare, cheap medicine, food for the masses, restoration of nature reserves, improvements to housing and water supply, and access to information and higher education for all citizens.

After only a short reign, Arthur Calaghan had fortified the position of Emperor as the most well-known and powerful position on Earth. With the support of the masses, the Tiberius line became the most influential family in human space.

* * *

Emperor Temos Tiberius. 2nd Emperor. Reign: November 3rd 2069 - August 17th 2099. Cause of death: Heart failure due to stress. Age: 88.

Temos Tiberius reign carried on the legacy of his father. Promoting focus on internal and humanitarian progress, but now he also looked outwards, to the stars and the vast emptiness of space. Wishing to fortify the sol-system, he quadrupled military spending, with focus on research and ship construction. It was also under his rule that the Imperial legions were formed.

To sustain the increased military spending, and to acquire enough resources to build their ships, he started the mining of the neighboring planets, especially the mines on Mars.

Using the knowledge from the Prothean beacon, and the knowledge gained from their counter research, he improved the efficiency of construction of buildings and ships and machines, and transportation of everything from people, to resources and arms. The infrastructure became very quick and reliable. Production became extremely efficient, the output from the factories tripled, and all of this was contributed to the Emperor, due to a large PR campaign funded by the Emperor himself.

Using the booming economy, he commenced the building of the Imperial city. Taking almost a full twenty years to build, the city would be the Diamond amongst human cities. It would collect all the human politicians, officials and the officers of the army and the navy within a fifty kilometer radius. Thereby making the decision making more efficient and quick.

It was to be a cultural, esthetical and technological marvel.

At its completion, it had almost devastated the human economy. But it was deemed to be a complete and utter success. "The most beautiful city ever built" they said. It secured Temos Tiberius as one of the most loved Dictators of all times.

His death signaled the end of an era for humanity. The population boom that humanity had experienced during the first forty years of Imperial rule meant that most people alive now were born during the rule of the Tiberius line. This was to change the mindset of the populace completely.

* * *

Emperor Markus Tiberius. 3rd Emperor. Reign: August 24th 2099 - April 3rd 2158. Cause of death: Heart failure. Age: 91

Born and raised under imperial rule, Markus was the very image of his generation. Used to the technology that humanity had mastered and improved during his forbears, and with a booming economy and the respect and love of his people born of four decades of Imperial propaganda ensured that he had almost unlimited power.

He used this power extensively to secure his place within the senate. Extending his influence and removing many of the old restrictions of the Imperial crown. He created the Inner council, which could bypass many of the long senatorial votes and elections, and he assumed the position of Commander-in-chief of the armed forces after a small rewriting of the constitution.

He quadrupled the spending limit of the military, leading to an economic crisis due to the lack of funds in the state's coffers. But he refused to cut down on the spending. The fleet and the armies grew to an enormous size, prompting him to propose that the "midnight protocol" be repealed due to the economic problems, and the size of the army which he believed would be able to protect human interests.

When the suggestion was shot down, he devoted his next twenty years of rule to expand the human economy and to bring it back to past levels. The increase in the mining operations on the planets in the sol-system, and the numerous state-owned enterprises selling and developing new technology for the masses saved the failing economy and brought back stability.

The repeal of the "Midnight protocol" and the increase of the size of the fleet and army became what defined his rule. Continuing to prepare and fortify the home-system and the economy for a large scale interstellar conflict.

His broad influence and his enormous power and strenght left a power vacuum after his death. Now, all the citizens of Earth are asking the same question. Will his son be strong enough to lift the crown? Or will the Tiberius line finally falter?

* * *

Author note:

Sorry about the long wait for this chapter, a lot going on right now. I will try to update a little more often the next week, since i'll be going on a vacation the week after and therefor will be unable to write for about eight days from Monday next week.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, a lot of it was writen in-between different arangments and other apointments, so it might have been e a bit more sloppy than usual.

I would also like to give thanks to Brodur, my Beta-reader, who has been a big help in making sure that this chapter contains a lot fewer spelling errors, gramatical errors and large plot-holes :)

Remeber, review and help me improve the story. Next chapter coming soon ;) How will humanity react to the council? And how will the Council react to humanity?


	7. Chapter 7

_June 29__th__ 2161. The Widow system. 09:11. Terran standard time. The Citadel._

Jason Werzik's eyes flew around his head. He had never seen so many wonders in his long illustrious life. The sheer size of the space station, the lakes and forests, the statues and artworks, and all those aliens! He forced himself to stare straight ahead, to look dignified and walk with his back straight. He was the ambassador of the human race and he had to look his regal and poised best.

Walking through the streets of the Citadel, he could see that the alien guards were clearing a way though the quickly gathering crowd, all of the gathered civilians gawking at him, staring at the 'Alien'. He could understand how they felt, he was feeling exactly the same a thousand times over every minute. Seeing all these aliens, the Turians, Asari, Salarian, Hanar and Elcor, he was close to fainting. His brain was overloading with all the information he was trying to work through and comprehend.

He was happy that he would not be the one to negotiate with the alien leader. A last minute change meant that he would simply carry the holo-projector and act as the human ambassador to any press or news media outside the chambers. He had been given the newest translator-updates to his multi-tool, and had read every report regarding each of the citadel races, including those regarding their role within the citadel, their biology and other information that was deemed important.

He could see how the alien guards looked at him with a mixture of interest, trepidation and calculation. He did strike an imposing figure. Ex-legion of almost two meters of height, with an IQ of one-hundred-and-forty-two, he was at a peak physical condition while also being extremely intelligent. His augmentations meant that he could process knowledge at a fifty-five percent increased capacity. He was a true superhuman, and he had been elected to be the face of humanity for that very reason.

"VIP en route to CC. Group 2-5 moving through sector G-3, are we clear to go over?"

The Turian guard who held his multi-tool close was searching the nearby balconies for threats, not that anyone was expecting anything to happen, but still. They were all on edge, he recognized the signs from the files that they had downloaded, and he understood why. They were guarding an alien dignitary, no one had ever met a human before, as alien as they were to him, he was to them. And he had to get to the council, alive and unharmed.

"All go VIP escort, you are clear for transport. Move to sector H-2 and await pickup, over."

He was escorted to a landing pad where the squads of security fanned out and set up a secure perimeter. He recognized the pattern easily and was somehow comforted by the resemblance to human tactics. Three armored shuttles landed, and he was huddled into the middle one before they took off at great speed.

He had thought that being confined within the windowless shuttles would give him some breathing room and some time to clear his mind before meeting with the alien council. But being in such close proximity to so many aliens was unsettling. He was literally rubbing shoulders with a Turian and a Salarian, and he found it uncomfortable. He could see how the other occupants in the cabin tried vainly to conceal their curiosity by looking anywhere else than at him.

The awkward and uncomfortable ride lasted less than five minutes before he was ushered out of the vehicle. If he had thought that the vistas of his previous route through the Citadel had been amazing, then it what he witnessed now shamed everything humanity had ever created.

He was walking along a metal walkway, flanked on either side by red leafed trees, purple and blue bushes with flowers every color of the rainbow, with small rivers of the deepest blue and purple liquids running along the path on either side. Looking up, he could see the glass ceiling, through which was a breathtaking view of the purple Widow system, and a huge dreadnought flying just outside. Truly, it was a wonder to behold.

He followed the path up onto a glass podium. Now looking across the room, he could see three terminals, currently unoccupied, across a small gap between his podium and their position. The murmurs of the collected officials and dignitaries filled the large room. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see numerous aliens gathering on the nearby balconies to have a better view of the proceedings. They were no doubt curious as to what these 'Humans' looked like, and they would clearly love to see how the Council would act.

After another minute of waiting, which felt like an eternity to the heavily sweating and extremely nervous ex-legionnaire, the three councilors made their entry.

As their intel had suggested, the council consisted of a Turian, an Asari and a Salarian. They were all dressed in what he suspected was either formal or traditional clothes, they all had some sort of white facial tattoos or face paint, he couldn't tell which, and the entire chamber immediately fell silent upon their entry.

They looked at him apprehensively, seizing him up, analyzing him, his posture, his eyes, his hands. They were all making mental notes to themselves regarding his stress level or his biology, everything that might give them an edge. It was a good thing that he wasn't going to be the one negotiating, that would put them off. However, humanity was still at a disadvantage since the Asari that they had escorted back had managed to send a report to her superiors. They had been unable to block it or decrypt it, so they had no idea what the council knew or what she had told them. The Salarian councilor cleared his throat to show his intent to speak.

"The council is assembled. We welcome the dignitary of the human race to our citadel and to the galactic community."

He noticed how he used the possessive term when she presented the station. He knew that he had been taken along the most scenic and impressive route to these chambers. He had even been allowed to see the huge space ships guarding the station, lingering at the doc long enough to get a good view of them. All part of the game.

He made a shallow bow and waited for her to continue, but instead, it was the Turian who spoke, his slightly resonating voice sounding odd in the vast chambers.

"We have received the report of the events in human area of influence from our spectre. It was an… unfortunate event caused by overzealous human defenders that will be resolved at a later time. For now we will simply start by negotiating the boundaries of human territory and their sphere of influence. Furthermore we will have to establish some ground relations with your government and also negotiate the human race in regards to standing conventions and agreements."

Nice. They had more or less just stated that they could dictate what they felt was an appropriate size for human territory and that they could more or less decide what humanity could and couldn't do. They were coming on hard, fast and strong. And that comment about the first contact incident? They made it sound like humanity had simply attacked a defenseless ship just minding its own business. He could see what the whole negotiation was coming too. He also understood their strategy of switching turns to speak. It made them look like they were agreed on everything. And it also threw of the other part. Clever.

They had got the whip, putting them in their place and asserting their authority over the newcomer human race to the masses who were undoubtedly watching through all the cameras and other recording devices which were placed in the room. Not that he could see them. Now they needed a carrot, designed to make whomever was at his end to feel privileged and honored, that way the council could coax whatever they wanted out of him and still look like the heroes to their people and to the newcomers.

Not that their tactic would work. The analytics had foreseen such a move, and had prepared accordingly. Now it would undoubtedly be the Asari councilors turn. Their intelligence had pointed to the Asari as the main diplomats of the Citadel, forging deals and usually acting as mediators in conflicts, they were the obvious choice as the warm, friendly and welcoming race.

Sure enough, the Asari made an interrupting sound, rehearsed to make it look like it was spontaneous, and then proceeded to speak.

"While we must place some ground rules for the sake of mutual security it is however an auspicious day. We are welcoming an entire new race to the galactic community. A race with its own history and culture, art and knowledge. While our initial meeting turned into an unfortunate incident our continued relations will see us exchange ideas and incorporate the human race into the galactic fold."

She smiled at him, and he mirrored the gesture. He knew what they were doing. They thought they were oh so clever, but in truth, they really had no idea.

The Asari continued.

"We must of course render assistance to the human race. Medically, technologically and economically, the citadel species can help the human race ascend to new heights and take its rightful place amongst the other species of the galaxy."

And finished. He knew what they had meant with the 'assistance'. Make humanity reliant on the technology of the citadel species, by 'economical' support, otherwise known as liberal business access, thereby outdo what they believed was available to humanity and make the entire race both economically and technologically dependent on the business of their own species. They had uncovered quite a large amount of knowledge of the citadel and its council. They had paid particular interest in how they had managed to incorporate the smaller and less powerful species such as the Hanar, Elcor and Volus.

She had made it sound like they would render assistance to a failing, weak and primitive race. They had really rehearsed it all it seemed. Now it was his turn to answer. And oh did he have a surprise for them.

"Members of the citadel council. I am honored and awed by your seat of government and the generosity of the species of the Citadel."

He could see their smug grins hidden behind a façade of polite, but proper, naturalness. They believed that they had made an irresistible offer, one that the newcomers in one way or the other, could not refuse.

"And I would also like to apologize on behalf of my species for the unfortunate incident, where an Asari military cruiser was destroyed by the defense turrets of one of our colonies."

He believed that he showed them the point there. They didn't get to hide behind 'we didn't do nothing' bullshit.

"We agree completely, that some ground rules must be placed, for the mutual security of our people."

He held up his hand in an apologetic gesture.

"But I'm afraid that I'm unable to make those negotiations myself."

He reached into his pocket and produced a small sphere. It was a mobile holographic platform. It would allow a holo-projected image of another person to walk and talk to those present without actually being in the room.

They had decided on this approach shortly before he left Earth. It would convey an appropriate message of superiority, like the one the Council was emitting now with their higher position, superior numbers, and the way they spoke down, both literally and metaphorically, to the occupant of the podium. It would also secure the integrity of the person negotiating, since he would not have been taken on the sightseeing he himself had endured. Furthermore, it would mean that a member of the human government of sufficient rank and influence would be able to negotiate with the council, without being present and therefore be in danger of capture or threat. The man on the other end had, of course, heard everything, since he had transmitted the negotiations through his multitool.

He placed the sphere on the floor and pressed a button on its side. It immediately sprung to life, rising a god meter above the ground before projecting a colored image of the man who would lead the negotiations.

"Greetings honored councilors of the Citadel. I am prime minister Liam Cunningham. I will be the negotiating on behalf of the Empire of Man."

* * *

_June 29__th__ 2161. The Widow system. 09:58. Terran standard time. The Citadel._

Markaus had expected to have a nice, relaxing evening with his family. They had planned this evening for months, his mate and their three youngest had flown all the way from Palavan to be with him. And now the evening was ruined. He had really looked forward to seeing his mate and his children again. Since they had to remain on Palavan while he was on the Citadel, due to an old convention about the Turian councilor and his family. He was lucky he had even been allowed to find a mate. Most councilors didn't get the permission.

His kids were a source of great pride to him, and great remorse. He had five, him and his lovely mate Nairya. But he had not seen any of them grow up. It had always been vid-calls and a few scattered days every other month when he got to spend time with his beloved family on their estate. He had even considered ignoring the call. But then his sense of duty had reasserted itself and he had apologized deeply to his mate before they touched foreheads and he left. She had been understanding. He would have felt better if she had yelled at him.

But now, seeing how the situation had evolved, he was happy that he had come. These 'Humans' were an interesting race. He had read the report of the incident, and he would have liked to commend the humans on their prompt and reasonable actions. If they had been Turian, they would probably have received commendations for their actions. But since they weren't, and since the Asari were allies, he had to condemn the incident.

As for the current negotiations with the humans. They had thought that they had been negotiating with some kind of authority, maybe even a leader, of the race. They had prepared themselves for a standard first-contact meeting. The council had plenty of experience with those, they had the knowledge of their predecessors meetings with the Krogan, Quarians, Elcor, Hanar, Drell and Volus. They had all acted more or less expectantly, awed by the power of the Citadel and the fleets of the combined species that made up the Council, and they had all eagerly accepted the possibility of trade and technological upgrades. But the humans had acted completely different, unpredictably.

The humans did not seem impressed in the least by the ships. Even the 'Destiny Ascension' the largest ship ever built by a council species, did not seem to bother them. They had conveniently placed it so it was obviously visible from the dock on the way to the Presidium. And now this? Normally, a race would send one of their leaders, if not The leader, to negotiate. But the humans had not even sent anyone of great importance. They weren't even going to meet in person?

"So prime minister. Do you speak for the human race? Are we to assume that you are the highest authority?"

Sadra Ilian's voice sounded a bit strained. He wouldn't have known if it wasn't because he had worked with her for thirty years. She could usually hide it, but they had just wasted one of their greatest weapons against newcomer species on a mere flunky. The initial meeting and first impression was, more than anything else, what secured a new species' compliance.

"No councilor, I am not. But I have been given permission to negotiate with the councilors of the Citadel on behalf of our leader."

He could feel pressure starting to build behind his temple-plate. This was going to be a trial. He assumed that it was his turn to speak, a way of keeping the newcomers off balance. He made sure that his voice sounded deep, and a little threatening, so that he would seem like the more unreasonable of the councilors. A 'good cop, bad cop' routine they had going.

"Well then the demands stand. Will humanity agree to limit its influence within a certain area, and to refrain from breeching standing conventions?"

It was not as much a question as a demand. They didn't really expect humanity to have a large sphere of influence. From what they knew, they had a home system, and no more than two or three colonies. And in regards to conventions they were not really that big an issue. The treaty of Farixen was the only real important one, and he highly doubted that they fielded many, if any, dreadnoughts at all.

The human minister looked at him intently. It was odd, talking to a hologram, and it showed these Humans potential as a member species. To have the ability to make a transportable holo-projector, one that could walk around at will no less, was no mean feat. It had eluded their own scientists for years. They had only recently been able to create the first prototype which still had some major glitches to be smoothed over. But this one worked perfectly.

The hologram nodded to the human in the room, who then produced another of the spherical devices. This one made a large map of the galaxy so everyone could clearly see it. Then, a large swathe of it turned red.

"The red marks the borders of the so called 'Terminus systems'. Am I to understand that these are outside your jurisdiction?"

Inostre nodded.

"Indeed, they are mostly out of Citadel space. They are, however, not considered a threat to our security."

Then another large swathe turned blue. Markaus saw that all the Citadel races' territories neatly fitted within the blue boundaries.

"And am I correct in assuming that this is the sphere of influence of the species affiliated with the Citadel?"

Markaus was impressed. How had they been able to acquire all this information? Had they been interrogating the Asari crew? Nothing in the report said anything about interrogation regarding the position of citadel territory.

His musings were interrupted by the prime minister who boldly pressed a few buttons on his omni-tool, another thing he was impressed to find that the humans had developed, before a large part of unexplored space turned purple. Along with a considerable part of the space that had previously been blue.

There were sounds of outrage from the crowd that had gathered to watch the negotiations. They council had made sure that this was an open session. Apparently, that had been a mistake. A considerable portion of Batarian territory had changed color, along with some of the red of the terminus system, but mostly it lay within the unexplored and unsettled Attican Traverse.

"Then we deem this to be an adequate size for human influence.

He had to stop himself from barking out a cry of disbelief. The nerve! What made them think they could demand such a large territory? Sadra leaned slightly forward and smiled in a warm gesture.

"Now now prime minister. You have to consider that the sphere of influence of any race cannot stretch further than twenty light-years from the nearest colony. It is one of our longest standing conventions regarding distribution of territory."

That was a neat little half-truth. While the rule did apply that a sphere of influence usually did not extend more than twenty light-years from a colony, there had never been any document confirming this by law. Only loose agreements.

The human did not seem perturbed at all. But he did change the settings to the map. Most of the purple in the Terminus systems turned back to red, and large swathes within the Attican Traverse likewise turned back to its previous grey color. But none of the Batarian sphere of influence resumed its blue color.

"We deem that the demand is both fair and reasonable. Then this would be more appropriate territory."

He must surely have been joking, perhaps it was cultural to joke in negotiations, but to have such a large territory without having made contact with the Citadel patrol fleets was unfeasible.

"Minister, I do not believe you realize the severity of the situation. This in no joking matter."

The human looked up, his eyes steely and his voice hard.

"I'm not joking."

* * *

_June 29__th__ 2161. The Widow system. 11:16. Terran standard time. The Citadel._

Sadra was losing her cool. In almost four hundred years as a counselor, she had been shot at, blackmailed, threatened and backstabbed more times than she could reasonably remember. But the negotiations with the humans ranked up in the top three of the most unpleasant events of her political career.

After they had decided to postpone talks of territory when it became clear that the human would not decrease the size of their influence, an unreasonably enormous territory, they had moved on to other things. But they had proven to be just as infuriating regarding economics and technology. Not to mention military.

"… while we agree to decrease the scale of our terraforming activities on tier 5 stellar objects by seven-point-five percent, we cannot agree to cease any of our current operations or to decrease the operation already performed on viable planets."

It had been like this for almost two hours. The council would move on to another subject, where humanity would then make either outrageous claims, or unreasonable demands. They would then go back and forth until the minister would give a little ground, without it actually doing anything to solve the issue. It was as if the human was not interested in joining the citadel. But that was ridiculous.

"But standing conventions require that all terraforming operations be verified by the counsel. How many operations does the human empire currently have active?"

That was another thing that vexed her greatly. An Empire? Really? Such a barbaric notion. From what she had inferred through the long process of negotiating with the minister, the Emperor was an individual of singular power and wealth. She found the idea distasteful and primitive. For a species which had developed space capabilities and which had colonized foreign systems to be ruled by a monarch was an archaic notion. One that showed the dire situation the humans were in. They needed to become part of the Citadel so they could evolve, so they could prosper and cast off such barbaric notions.

"I am afraid that that is classified information counselor."

She sighed in exasperation. He kept saying that. She was close to having had enough.

"shall we call a short recess?"

She was surprised that the human minister would ask. Normally it was the council which would call a recess to make the newcomers nervous, to make them wait so they understood how little and insignificant they were compared to the council.

"I believe that a recess would be advisable."

Inostre caught her eye and she understood his intend. A recess was called reluctantly. The holographic image of the human disappeared while they walked into the back chamber, a private area, where they could discuss the events of the evening.

When they were finally alone, she could not stop herself from sighing loudly and hard.

"Well, that was a catastrophe."

She could hardly contain herself. Markaus had more or less stated what they all thought, but she didn't like it anymore because of it.

"They are primitive, barbaric, childish and uncooperative. It's like they don't understand the position they are in. Do they not see how hopeless their situation is?"

She could not help herself. It was true anyway. She had not experience anything like that since the Batarians had demanded that the abolition of slavery be recalled. But where the Batarians understood their inferiority, the Humans seemed to think that they owned the place. They had not even begun discussing the Farixen treaty, but with the way thing were going they would probably refuse to sign it.

Inostre's hand was holding his chin while he looked thoughtfully out at the ships patrolling right outside the Citadel.

"I have sent STG groups into the area they marked as their sphere of influence, they are coaming the systems for planets with a human population. Although I doubt that we will find many. I propose that it is time that we place an ultimatum on them."

She perked up at this. While she understood that Inostre was easily the smartest amongst them, his plans were usually clinical and often quite undiplomatic. But it seemed that if they had to get the Humans in line, that would be exactly what they needed.

"What do you have in mind?"

Inostre waited a minute before he couldn't wait to tell them anymore.

"From the way they are negotiating, and from their arrogant stance and claims, I believe that there are three reasons that could reasonably cause this behavior. One: it is culturally ingrained to negotiate in such a way. Two: that they are stalling to extract as much information as possible from our side, meaning that anything we say can and will be used to their advantage. I am certain that a considerable group of scientists, analytics and other such personal are close to the minister, providing information for his use. And three: they have, what they believe, is a large and powerful fleet."

She could not find a fault in his logic. As always, it was both sound and very astute.

"So what do you suggest?"

The equivalent of a Salarian smile crossed his large mouth.

When he explained his plan she could hardly help smile herself. It was sly, but forceful enough that the Humans would understand. Markaus disliked it. But after a long discussion he finally agreed on the condition that the Turians receive new equipment upgrades from the Salarians, to which Inostre agreed. And so, consensus reached, they travelled back into the chamber where the Human dignitary was waiting. As they entered he keyed his omni-tool and reactivated the holo-projetor.

"Counselors, I hope that the recess have done you well. Shall we continue our previous line of negotiations?"

She put on her diplomatic façade before she continued.

"Indeed counselor, we have decided to drop our current subject to move on to something we believe is of the greatest importance. One that is of the utmost importance for future relations between the council and humanity"

One of his eyebrows perked up as he changed his stance. This was new.

"It has come to our attention that humans are capable of creating dreadnought class ships. As these ships are of such singular size and power it is important to restrict their numbers."

That was another half-truth. While they had little to no Intel on the humans, it was safe to assume that they had the capability, if not the plans or resources, to build a dreadnought. While they had meant to make them sign the Farixen treaty all along, they had now changed tactics on how they would make them do it.

The minister perked up a bit.

"Indeed. They are very destructive and dangerous, and therefore, it is only prudent that their numbers be restricted."

Good, he was more cooperative than she had expected.

"Indeed, we believe that it is only fair and reasonable that humanity follow a ratio of one quarter of the Salarian ratio. Currently, the Turians field thirty-seven, the Asari field twenty-one and the Salarian field sixteen. This will allow humans to maintain a fleet of four dreadnoughts. A fair amount for a new and struggling species like your own. This is of the utmost importance. If humanity does not sign the treaty then we will have no choice but to declare embargo on your species to prevent you from building an unreasonable number of ships, while also barring your entry to the Citadel. It is for the security of the galaxy. Now if you were to join the Citadel then an allowance could be made. Humanity would be allowed to produce a further four dreadnoughts while maintaining all the colonies that you currently have."

Inostre's plan had been simple. If the humans negotiations really were cultural, then a direct approach of either yes or no would mean that they would have to answer one way or the other. If it was because they were stalling, then non existing room to maneuver would not let them to stall any longer. And if it was because they had a large fleet. Well, then she had just divulged the number of dreadnoughts the council races could field. Thereby dispelling any illusions that the foolish humans might have of their own power.

And not only that, they had directly stated that, should the humans not agree, then they would be denied entry to the citadel, which was already a part of the treaty anyway. Should they agree they would be permitted to build the fourth largest fleet in existence, minus the Quarians, and going against the conventional 5:3:1 ratio usually applied. This would make them the most influential of the lesser species. A considerable boon should they join, and deemed a sufficient perk for the humans to agree.

She was therefore completely surprised when the Prime minister answered.

"Would we be forced to retire already existing dreadnoughts?"

She had thought that the proposition was simple and straightforward enough that the humans would understand. Perhaps she had overestimated them. She tried to contain her rage but was unable to. For the first time in her long career, she lost control of her emotions.

"Listen minister. Your continued stalling and maneuvering has grown tiresome. While we appreciate that humanity is new to the galactic scene we must demand that you answer. No more lies or half-truths. No more exaggerations of your power or strength. If you do not immediately sign this treaty then humanity is barred entry and membership into the Citadel and is declared a rogue state."

It was unbecoming of a diplomat of her stature to stoop to threats and power struggles like this, but she had truly grown angry at the human dignitary. An answer was needed, and it was needed now. The whole farce had made the council look weak. Decisive action was needed to regain their position. Billions of citizens were watching the proceedings and they had been made to lose face.

But to her surprise, the human did not shy away a fraction. He returned her gaze and stepped forward to the edge of the podium. When he answered, his voice was strained by barely controlled rage and anger.

"You assume that have a wish to join the Citadel? To become one of your vassal states? You have made a grave mistake councilors. Humanity came here to talk as one sovereign nation to another. Not as an inferior talking to its superior. Your continued arrogance and demands have grown tiresome."

She could not believe it. They didn't want to join the Citadel? What kind of madness was that? The Citadel was the greatest peacekeeping and interstellar cooperation ever to have existed. By making each of the member species dependent of each other they secured peace amongst the stars.

That was why they treated the Quarians so harshly, that was why they needed the Humans to become a member species. If the humans didn't join the Citadel then they could give assistance to terrorists or pirates. Or they might even declare war on one of the Citadel species. They would lose, of course, but they might still do significant damage.

The human continued before she could say anything to interrupt.

"While the human empire only wish to peacefully coexists with the Citadel, we will not allow any military or espionage vessels from the Citadel to penetrate human space. We will treat any such vessels as having malicious intent and they will be shot down forth with."

She could hardly believe it. They were making demands, they were making threats to the council.

"In the spirit of peace and mutual trust, we will open an embassy on the citadel. The embassy will be sovereign Human territory, outside Citadel jurisdiction. We will receive a private doc where our ships can hold without citadel security having access or powers within that doc. None of our personal will be subject to citadel law. We will establish trade, and sharing of certain technology as a show of good faith. Citizens of the citadel will be allowed into human space, as long as they ask permission. We can work out other agreements latter in private, but this is our ultimatum. Either the council accepts, or humanity severs all contact with the citadel."

She was about to explode in outrage before a message popped up on her screen. She quickly read it before she complied.

"Apologies minister, but the council will have to convene in private to negotiate whether your proposal is acceptable."

She was shocked. In all the years that the council had existed, no species had ever made such outrageous claims. As she walked into the adjacent chamber, she and her fellow councilmembers were discussing the possibilities of actually accepting the human's proposal.

"No we cannot allow them to become a rogue state. It would violate everything the council have strived to do for a thousand years."

The other species would not admit it, but the council and the Citadel was mainly an Asari project. The other species lacked the farsightedness of her long-lived race, and they were prone to petty conflicts amongst themselves. While the Turians gave the citadel its military power, and the Salarians gave much of its technology and intelligence, the Asari gave it the cutting edge, it's economic power and its diplomatic stability.

She had hoped for support from the other councilors, but she was deeply disappointed.

"I do not see a disadvantage here. It could be quite advantageous for us to have a race that is both somewhat powerful but free of Citadel jurisdictions."

She was surprised by the Turian. She had thought that he would call for conflict, blockades or other such actions.

"What do you mean?"

She was puzzled. What did the Turian have in mind?

"If we could paint humanity as a warmongering and dangerous species, then we could have an outside enemy which is actually a threat, unlike the Krogan or the Quarians. That would help keep the other races in line, and we could step up military spending. This could actually help us in both the long and the short run."

She had to admit that it made sense, from a brutally military view. She looked at Inostre, he must have some other outlook. He was starring thoughtfully into empty air. He blinked once when he caught her looking at him before he said something.

"If we can establish neutral relations with the humans, we can get access to their technology and perhaps cultivate a market for illegal or dangerous research. Since they are not members of the Citadel we do not have to comply with the rules of patent or other such. We can use and produce anything they might have. This could be a boost to our economy."

Again, she could not fault his logic. Both of them had a point. But some of it was just… wrong. Humanity could progress along an unforeseen path. And they might actually become a threat. Furthermore she understood what they were looking to achieve. If they did not have to comply by the patent rules, then they might find a way to circumvent every patent in Citadel space. This could destroy the Asari economy.

"While you both make good arguments for allowing the humans to remain an outside species, they still remain a threat. If they are not controlled then they could wreak havoc across the Attican Traverse and our border systems. They might actually become a threat not just militarily, but also economically. Imagine the instability they could create."

They continued for almost an hour. She could not persuade the two other counselors from leaving their current line of negotiation. They just didn't see the big picture.

"I hardly believe that the Humans will have a military that would even remotely threaten our own. A conflict with them is improbable. And should a conflict arise, we can force them to surrender and enter the Citadel on our own terms. A conflict could be to our advantage in the long run. We could make them sign the treaty of Farixen, but instead of limiting them to a number of Dreadnoughts they agree to not build any more dreadnoughts than they already have."

Markaus' final argument had been what had persuaded her. But she still remained unconvinced that it was the right thing to do. And since they all agreed that the Humans could not possess a significant number of dreadnoughts, it seemed like a reasonable demand. They reconvened in the council chambers where all of the assembled awaited their judgment.

"The Council has reached a decision. We will allow humanity to remain a neutral and sovereign state outside of Council jurisdiction, on the condition that they do not build any more Dreadnought than they already possess. The humans will receive a private dock on the condition that no military vessel enter the system or any other system under council protection. Does humanity agree to these terms?"

She mentally prepared herself for another unreasonable refusal on some ridiculous grounds. So she was quite pleased when the minister nodded.

"Humanity accepts these terms and agreements, and will abide by them for as long as the council and the races affiliated with the Citadel abide by our demands."

With that, he apparently believed the session to have concluded. The hologram disappeared and the human dignitary stored the device in his pocket. He then turned and left without acknowledging the council further. She briefly considered grounding the human frigate, but then decided against it. It would be an undiplomatic move that would create more tension between the humans and the council, and she doubted that they could learn anything from it anyway.

As they left the council chambers through the back exit, she saw one of the news monitors that hung everywhere in the Citadel. On it was a vid of the council talking to the human minister. The text in the bottom read.

_'Newcomer race arrogantly defies the council. Negotiations break down, parties are unable to reach an agreement, the Citadel council allows rogue state to form.'_

By the goddess, this was really one of those days.

* * *

_June 29th 2161. Empire city. 15:16. Terran standard time. The chambers of the inner council._

He wiped off some sweat that had formed on his brow as he turned to face the assembled group of human counselors and analytics. The emperor sat on his throne, looking quite pleased, while silence reigned in the chamber. Augustus was the first to speak.

"Well done prime minister. I commend you on your ability to keep the negotiations rolling, and your ability to circumvent their restrictions."

He felt exhilarated. Never had he faced such able opponents. He had met opposition at every turn, they had blocked, maneuvered and ignored his demands. That he had been able to keep them going long enough that they had actually been able to reach such a favorable agreement was a testament to his abilities as a politician. The Grand admiral seemed distraught however.

"How is this a success? They have crippled our fleet production. If we cannot build dreadnoughts how are we going to be able to defend ourselves?"

They all turned to Augustus. After they had learned that the Citadel restricted the production of Dreadnoughts for all species, he had given his permission to Cunningham to agree that they would not construct any more than they had. He didn't seem seriously distraught himself. His left eyebrow rose slightly.

"We agreed to halt our construction of dreadnought. We will focus on constructing capital ships. We shall expand our fleet with another ship of the same pattern as the two already under construction. That should make up for lost firepower and tonnage."

Cunningham did not like this liberal interpretation of the treaty.

"Will they not assume that we broke our agreement with them if they find out?"

Kathrina Le'chaun leaned forward. Her gaze hard and sure.

"We have developed new cloaking devices which should help hide our construction of these ships for a duration of..."

Augustus interrupted her with a raised hand.

"We do not classify our capital ships as dreadnoughts. Once we open our embassy on the Citadel we will make it a public secret that we are capable of building and fielding such ships but that they are not considered dreadnoughts and therefore our construction of them is not limited."

That was the end of that argument. He rose from his chair and addressed all of the assembled.

"You have all done well today. Humanity won a great victory. You are all dismissed. Special task force three are to assemble in meeting room six."

He motioned for Cunningham to follow him. While Liam could appreciate the boy's aptitude for leadership, he was still far too young and hot-headed to lead humanity. Liam did not outright dislike him, he had great respect for the cunning skill he had shown these last few days, but he still viewed him with some distrust.

They walked into the adjacent chambers, a smaller room with only enough chairs for five people to sit and talk. Augustus motioned for him to sit. When they were both seated, Augustus looked him straight in his eyes.

"Mr. Cunningham. While I appreciate that you and I have not always seen eye to eye, what you did in there was commendable."

He could not help but nod his thanks. He was a little nervous if he had to be honest. He was aware that Augustus had learned of his support for those who opposed his ascend to the throne. He had expected some sort of punishment more or less immediately after he grabbed absolute power. It would be what he would have done. Instead he had been put in a unique position from which he could negotiate with the alien leader.

Augustus continued.

"You have served well as the prime minister of humanity. But at the upcoming ministerial election, it would perhaps be advisable if you quietly resigned."

So he was to be punished after all? That little shit actually had the balls to try and pry him away from his position as prime minister? He was about to say something before Augustus handed him a bunch of papers.

"I would like you, Mr. Cunningham, to assume the position of human ambassador on the citadel. You have shown you are more than capable of negotiating with these aliens. You could do humanity much good in such a position."

He looked at the pile of papers he had been given. He turned a few leaves and quickly read them. They described budgets, staff, furniture and other such necessities. Other papers regarded the short term goals of human/Citadel relations, trade rights, technology exchange and other such. It had obviously been made in a hurry before and during the meeting since he found two or three things that had already been settled.

He looked up at the boy, whom he still had trouble regarding as his superior, before leaning back in his chair, an innocent smile on his face. So, he thought that by giving him the position of ambassador, he could make him resign? Well then, he had another thing coming.

"I am sorry my lord, but I must decline your generous offer. I am quite content in the position which I currently occupy. I believe a good deal of my constituents would be very disappointed if I did not fulfill my role as this nation's second in command."

He knew he was laying it on thick, but apparently the boy had forgotten that, while he was emperor, and while he had emergency power, he still did not have the power to dismiss anyone from the ministry without a reason which could be verified by the Imperial court. He was not without resources himself, if Augustus tried to force him out of the ministry, he could have his friends in the court system help him out.

However, Augustus seemed unfazed by his rebuttal. Indeed, he looked like he had expected it. He silently and gracefully lifted another stack of papers from somewhere under the table and handed them to Liam.

"The position of ambassador is an illustrious position with a good deal of influence and a good salary. And it carries quite a number of perks with it as well. Diplomatic immunity amongst them."

He turned a page and was stunned to see a list of transactions from some of his secret bank accounts to some… Unpopular organizations. Many of them either filed as backing, or currently under investigations for, anti-imperial activities. He swallowed. These were fake, mostly, but he knew that the Emperor had apparently become aware that he had lend support to some such organizations. While he had been smart enough to cover his trail extensively, making sure that nothing led back to him, this was a clear declaration of war. Assisting anti-imperial behavior was high treason, therefore the punishment fell outside the normal court system. Which meant that the boy would have an extensive say in the verdict, and could have him executed for treason if he so desired. But that would cost him what little support he had left in the government.

It was clear that he was offering a way out for Liam. If he agreed, he would be untouchable for any offence carried out before his employment. Should he decline, well, then his career would be cut short by other means.

"I graciously accept your proposition my lord. I hope that I will be able to serve humanity in my new position as its ambassador."

He gave his broadest, most winning baby-kissing smile that he had master through dozens of election campaigns.

_I will see you burn you little shit._

* * *

_June 29th 2161. Empire city. 15:46. Terran standard time. The chambers of the inner council._

Augustus left the small chamber, leaving the prime minister to boil, and headed towards another similar, albeit larger, meeting room.

Entering, he saw the Consul, the grand admiral, the minister of finance, the minister of imperial intelligence and the newly appointed deputy prime minister, Mr. Vale Corant, assembled in the room. They were all eagerly discussing their newest findings.

"How many ships have we found thus far? What are their position? Their capabilities? Do we have a heading?"

Grand admiral Dao Uong was quite calm and collected, but still he bombarded Kathrine Le'chaun with questions which she barely had time to answer.

"we have positive sightings of circa twelve-thousand-four-hundred ships, They are currently going from sub-sector Bravo-5 to sub-sector Golf-2, we estimate their strongest ship to have the capabilities of a medium dreadnought while sixty-nine percent have the average ability of medium to large frigates, their heading is currently unknown but we believe that they are steering towards sector H-4. We have recently picked up disturbances in that area. For reasons unknown, all of their ships are in extremely bad condition, but the damage is not consistent with battle damage."

Augustus quickly got the picture. He picked up a recent report and silently skimmed it.

"Are we positive that this is the Quararians? Or is it a fleet from the Citadel?"

While he thought that it would be unlikely for the citadel council to send a fleet out this fast, the possibility could not be excluded.

"Negative sire, all evidence points to it being the fleets of the Quararians. I and my assorted staff conclude that we have indeed located them."

Good. Ever since they had decrypted the mission briefing from the Asari cruiser, alongside other materiel on the ship such a communications transcript, mission log, assorted files throughout the ship and from the, preciously, incomprehensible ramblings of the two Asari prisoners chosen for 'special' interrogations they had been searching for the Quararians fleet. It seemed that they had located them.

"Uong. Can we take them on? What are our projected loses?"

The admiral looked through his files on his multitool before concluding.

"With the current plan of attack against the highest numbers with the best equipment, we would lose circa forty-two percent of the fleets we have immediately ready."

At this the deputy prime minister interrupted.

"So we have already decided on this aggressive course of action? None of the information we have been able to collect paints the Quararians as a particularly aggressive race, albeit it does paint them as scavengers and thieves. But still, are diplomatic means off the table?"

Augustus conceded that he had a point.

"While I will not completely write off a diplomatic approach, I believe that we have to prepare for the worst. Our information is second hand and therefore it is not completely reliable. Still a casualty percentage of such a magnitude is unacceptable."

The grand admiral looked flustered.

"If our intelligence is to be believed, this is merely a fifth of the full power of the Quararian navy. If we attack now, we could severely cripple them while the rest of the fleet prepare. Our own attack is barely with a tenth of the Sol-system defense fleet. I believe that, while initial casualties are high, they are acceptable in the grand scheme."

Consul Kiel immediately stood up.

"Why fight them in the first place? They are light years away from our nearest colony or traffic lane. In case they do attack then we have a legitimate war on our hands but until then we have to admit that we have no clue as what to do. They are probably oblivious to our existence. A conflict need not arise because of speculations."

There was some murmur of consent amongst the gathered, Uong excluded, but Augustus wished to hear more.

"While I agree that we cannot attack them out of hand simply because of speculation, we can neither tolerate a fleet of such magnitude to roam around our borders. What if they become aware of our existence? It is only a matter of time. What then?"

This made Kiel sit down in contemplation. Silence reigned for a good minute before Dulo Muba, the minister of finance, saw fit to break it.

"Why not make our existence known then? We could create some diplomatic bonds between us. They need not be enemies if we extend the hand of friendship. At the very least it will dispel any fears of an attacked based on ignorance."

At the last remark he looked pointedly at the admiral who stared right back. Speaking next, his voice dripping with sarcasm, he addressed both the minister and the assembly.

"Your philanthropic views, although charming, has no place in reality. Why should a species with such a large fleet desire peace? We have little knowledge of why they are roaming the galaxy. Perhaps the information about them being thieves is correct? Perhaps they strip-mine planets and colonies and then flee on their ships to other, more choice targets. How can we know?"

The argument grew heated. It soon became a shouting match between mostly Dulo Mubo and Dao Uong, with the occasional interruption from Mr. Corant and consul Kiel.

Through it all, Augustus remained passive, listening intently but keeping his own counsel. While the meeting with the alien government had shown him a thing or two, he still felt that there were far too many unknowns for his liking. Why were the Quararians there? Why did they roam the galaxy? Why could they find no records of them having a home world or colonies? Why were their ships in such bad condition?

He got up from his chair and called for silence.

"Mr. Uong. How soon before we can have the whole Terran defense fleet ready?"

He quickly checked his multitool before answering.

"In less than twenty-four hours we can have the full might of the TDF at the ready. Another twenty-four and we can bolster that with more than a hundred legion fleets."

He nodded to the admiral before turning to Le'chaun.

"Ms. Le'chauns. Do we have precise coordinates for the origin of the activity? Is there a pattern?"

She nodded eagerly.

"Yes my lord. It seems to revolve around a newly discovered planetoid. It is a T1 world but it has not been colonized due to the alien protein culture of the flora and fauna."

Good. He now addressed the gathered assembly.

"While we must prepare our navy for an imminent confrontation, I do not believe our first action need be violent."

He received a look of dismay from the Grand admiral, but of approval form the minister of finance and the Consul.

"I propose that we send a communication. One that states that we are aware of their existence while also proclaiming our own. We will invite them for a mutual meeting on territory nearby to provide a base for negotiations. I believe it is safe to assume that one of the languages collected from the Asari cruiser is compatible with theirs. We should be able to communicate with them. Meanwhile I want every military unite standing by for an immediate and violent retaliation should it become clear that they are indeed hostile."

They nodded. Some of them might not agree, but this was a direct order from the highest authority. Augustus was pleased to see that they were finally starting to respect him. He was no longer viewed as a lost little boy, but as the monarch and supreme ruler of humanity.

"You are all dismissed. I shall draft the initial communique and send it when we reconvene in the Council chambers at nineteen hundred hours."

At that he turned and left. He needed to draft a speech. While he agreed that he could not allow a fleet of such size to run rampant though his territory, he believed that he had found a solution. He had thought about it since before the meeting. Even during the negotiations with the Citadel Council his mind had been occupied with finding a solution to the next problem. The biggest obstacle was to keep everyone busy until he could realize his plan. And he had come up with a plan, one that would satisfy all parties. Maybe except the Quararians.

* * *

A/N

This was, if possible, even harder to write than first contact. Hope everyone liked it. I know some of you thinks that i have it out for the Asari, and you are correct. I thought that it would be intertaining to see one of them loose her cool to a 'Primitive' human while i also showed why i believe that the Council act as they do towards the Quarians and why they believe that Humans are primitive. I initially planned for each council member to have a scene, but the Salarian never came out right and it was so deprived of emotion that it became to boring. Hope nobody minds that i removed it.

On a note, i made the Humans call the Quarians, Quararians instead because i thought that it would be more authentic if there was some tranlation errors.

Again, really hope you enjoyed this chapter, remember to review :) If anyone has a desire for more Lore, post a suggestion. I am thinking of outlining the goverment more, but it might become to cunfusing. Hope to post another chapter before i go on vacation.


	8. Chapter 8

_June 29__th__ 2161. System SH-21/C. 20:10. Terran standard time. Surface of fourth planet in system._

"Have we completed the scans? Are there any more resources in this area?" Mazar was supervising the scientific scanning operations of the newly discovered garden world. He and his crew, along with that of several other scientific ships, had been combing the planet the last two days, searching for resources, bacteria, threats and any other information that might be of values to the fleet.

"Yes sir, the scans are finished. It would seem that the vein continues another two hundred meters along this ridge. There should be another four megatons of bauxite hidden here."

At first, the planet had seemed barren of any other resources but plants and animals. They could find no significant deposits of minerals or other such. But then they had discovered that, for some reason they were still trying to solve, that a good deal of the resources were clustered along the equatorial line of the planet. Knowing where to search, they had discovered that the planet was indeed, very bountiful.

"Alright move along the vien and chart a course. I want it all mapped out for mining."

Having arrived at the planet they had designated as the best candidate for colonization, they had immediately searched for threats to Quarian physiology. Finding nothing out of the ordinary, and a breathable atmosphere to boot, they had started mining and repairing their ships. It was slow progress; the fleet possessed little in the way of heavy duty mining equipment and housing for the mining crew. But they did their best, and the fleet was finally able to relax and make desperately needed repairs.

"Hara, mark this sector down for future mining, we need that bauxite to repair the electric systems. Make it a priority one."

The female Quarian nodded before typing on her omni-tool. He could feel the high morale of his team. They were excited, happy even. They had managed to evade the Citadel for months now, and without their constant pursuit they finally had time to make vital repairs to their failing ships. If they still hadn't been discovered within the next two weeks, the admiralty had decided to make the colonization permanent, allowing a large number of Quarians to settle on the planet surface and make more permanent settlements.

The change in their situation had the entire fleet in good spirits. They had retaken control of their own future. No longer did the Council get to decide where they could go, what they could take and when they had to leave. They were the masters of their own fate now. Maybe they could finally start preparing to take back Rannoch. He was in high spirits, smiling behind his mask.

That was until the alarms began.

A nervous yet collected voice of a female spoke over every omni-tool in the vicinity.

"All planet-side personnel, return to your ships and man your battle stations. Prepare for imminent attack. All military ships, set up a perimeter around the civilian ships, protect the liveships and the transports. All admirals are to assemble on the _'Narshya'_. Ancestor guide and protect us."

The message had not even ended before the Quarians in his group were already storming towards the nearest shuttles. Taking everything they could carry with them in the rush. This was bad, worse than bad, this was a catastrophe. Had the council found them? Had they sent the Turians to attack? Were they really going to punish the Quarians so severely just for mining on an unclaimed world? This was why they had become so desperate, the unreasonable council would use any means they saw fit to keep the Quarians in their current state of poverty and decline.

It made Mazar both angry and sad. How could they do this to his species? Why did they deserve such harsh treatment? Had they not suffered enough already?

His shuttle dropped off the crew on their research ship, the _'Vraua' _before resuming its flight towards the _'Narshya'_. Looking out of the cockpit windows, he could see the entire fleet moving into position, the large live-ships in the center of the forming formation, and the few military vessels they possessed at the rim. He was gripping his knees in anxiety, what was it all about? He couldn't see any ships other than Quarian. Perhaps they had discovered the citadel ship while they were in transit.

The shuttle had barely touched down in the hangar bay before he stormed out. He knew the layout of the ship well and did not need a guide to show him to the meeting room. He ran along cluttered hallways and narrow gangplanks to get to the chamber, racing past scuttling crewmembers and worried civilians.

He burst into the chambers, seeing the other four admirals already assembled, and took his place around the table. He was breathing heavily, both from the hard run but also out of nervousness, but he managed to sound both collected and ready when he addressed the other admirals.

"What's going on? Is it the Council? The Turians? Are we under attack?"

"Relax admiral. We are not under attack. But a new threat has arisen that we must deal with immediately. While we are taking the necessary precautions, the general alarm was perhaps a bit preemptive."

Hiri Varoh, the admiral of the civilian fleet, looked at Vira Avah who was leaning over the table, looking at something on her omni-tool.

Vira looked up from whatever she was doing to address the accusation.

"Preemptive? We just received a threat to the very existence of our race. You call that preemptive? I am trying to protect the fleet and you are not doing much to help. What if we had been attacked? What if we will be attacked? Their ships might be on the way as we speak and I won't let the fleet be caught off guard."

Mazar was at a complete loss. He did not know what they were speaking of but both of the admirals seemed very tense and on edge.

"What are you talking about? Have the Council issued a threat? Why are we assuming combat formation if we are not under attack?"

He thought that he had missed something important. Something that he should be aware of. But apparently he was not the only one out of the loop. Valo Naron Vas Uevia, admiral of the support fleet, looked puzzled and frightened. Mazar could see it from the way he stood; his feet close together and slightly hunched over, trying to make himself very small.

"Will someone please tell me what is going on? If there is a threat then I need to be able to coordinate our ships properly. If there isn't a threat then I need to know why we have all been summoned and what all the commotion is about."

He could not keep a note of panic out of his voice. His body language emanated uncertainty and insecurity. Mazar could understand. This was all very unsettling.

Vira and Hiri looked around, suddenly discovering that they were apparently the only ones that knew what they were talking about.

"Did nobody else receive that message? We received it here on the '_Narshya'_ and assumed it had been fleet wide."

Hiri, seeing the other three admirals shake their heads and confirm her suspicion, activated her omni-tool and held out her arm for them all to see it properly.

"About thirty minutes ago, we received a message from an unidentified source. It does not originate from inside Council space, but rather from here in the Attican traverse."

A picture of an alien suddenly popped up from her omni-tool and the admirals who had not received the message gasped. It was not a species they were familiar with. Mazar leaned closer to get a better look at the creature. It looked remarkably similar to a Quarian, except its legs were far too straight and it had some weird ears and did not wear an environment suit. But if it had, he might have mistaken it for a deformed male Quarian. The similarities were many.

"This is remarkable. It looks so much like us. Do we know what it is?"

As an answer, Hiri touched a button on her omni-tool. The alien stated speaking, Mazar was shocked to find that his translator categorizing the language as being Quarian.

"Unidentified military fleet. This is captain Collins of the Imperial ship 'Sword of Hades'. You are trespassing within sovereign territory of the Empire of Man. Identify your purpose and intent or face the consequences. You have ninety minutes to answer this transmission or we will assume hostile intent and we will respond accordingly. Over and out".

At that the hologram froze, the video having been paused, and Hiri looked back at the other admirals who stood dumbfounded by the implications of the transmission.

"And you received this message thirty minutes ago?"

Hiri and Vira both nodded.

"Yes. Time is of the essence. These aliens are clearly threatening with an attack and I have prepared accordingly."

Vira looked as if she was about to speak when Mazar interrupted.

"Are we sure these are aliens? Maybe it is some ruse from the Citadel. It could be Batarian. How do we know this is genuine?"

It was a valid question. He did not think that it would be beyond the council to try such dirty tricks to control the Quarians. Make them believe they were under attack from an unidentified species, then make them look like the aggressors to the public. And how would the aliens know how to speak Quarian? It didn't make sense.

Vira answered.

"It might well be. But while we are unsure if it is a ploy, we are sure that if we do not answer one way or the other they are sure to take action. I propose we tell them why we are here. We simply seek to live in peace on this planet and do not seek hostility."

There was a short pause before anyone answered. It seemed that Vira was the strongest advocate for a peaceful message, but would they respond to such? Mazar knew that, while the Migrant Fleet was large, it was not as military capable as a wholly military fleet. While they could fend off most opponents, a direct and strong attack would cost hundreds of thousands of lives.

"I agree. We should state that we have only peaceful intent and do not seek hostilities. If these are truly alien then they must be frightened. Since they are able to communicate with us they must be space capable to some degree. This could actually be to our gain."

Mazar had quickly analyzed the facts in his mind. While everything suggested that it was a trap, it was a poor one at that. If they could communicate peacefully with them then an attack would make the aggressors look bad. Then the council would not be able to support or condone it and still retain a positive public opinion.

But if it were aliens then why could they speak Quarian? It did not make sense, but then again, maybe they spoke something so similar that it was just his translator which thought it was Quarian. But the odds were astronomical. And how did they possess the technology to make holo-messages? If they had discovered Prothean technology then and if they were active in the area then why had they not picked up any Eezo trails or discharges? Or found any active mass relays in the region? Nothing made sense.

"If they truly are alien then why would they threaten us? It what you say is true then they can't possibly have a large fleet that could pose a threat. If they have sensors that can pick up our movement then they must surely know the enormity of our fleet. And what do you mean 'to our gain'? what could we possibly achieve from this?"

Norak Serha Vas Yvaia, admiral of the Light fleet, looked calculatingly at Mazar. He obviously had something on his mind already, but he wanted to hear it from Mazar before he divulged what he himself had on his mind. It was a strategy he commonly utilized in meetings.

"Well, if they have just received space capability then they might wish to form trade agreements or other diplomatic ties with us. If we could be the ones to aid and guide them then maybe we could establish an alliance with them. But I'm convinced that this is a ruse. Something doesn't add up."

Hiri quipped in.

"But you agree that we should pursue peaceful relations? Even if it is a trap?"

He nodded before she continued.

"Well that settles that doesn't it? If we are all agreed that we should send a message of peace then why are we still standing here?"

There was no disagreement from any of the admirals. Aliens or not, they would not act hostile. If it turned out to be the council then they had lost the element of surprise and their chance to garner ill will towards the fleet by making them attack first. If it were aliens then their misguided threat was most likely based on fear or misinformation which could be remedied.

She set up the recorder and they agreed that admiral Hiri Havaroh should be the spokesperson of the Quarian people in this matter. Judging from the alien on the screen Mazar had guessed that they had the same sexual dimorphism as Quarians and would most likely find females less threatening. Of course, perhaps they didn't have females, or they held them in low regard. There were a hundred possibilities in the event that they indeed had met another race. But they had to go with what they thought was best.

"Greetings captain Collins. I am admiral Hiri Havaroh Nar Galion Vas Tavrain. I and the admiralty, speak on behalf of the peaceful Quarian people and the Quarian migrant fleet. We do not have hostile intentions or seek such against you or your kin, we only wish to remain peacefully in this system which we currently occupy. No threat was intended to you or your people and no aggressive action will be taken against any members of your species. We hope that you will accept our apology and that we have assuaged any fears that you or you crew might have possessed."

She made a low bow before they ended the transmission and sent the message on all channels in the direction of its origins.

The minutes passed slowly as they awaited either a response or an attack. They passed the time by planning for the imminent arrival of a military fleet and by discussing what they would do in case it turned out to be a genuine first contact.

"Should we really help them evolve? It would not look good if we unleashed another Krogan like race on the galaxy."

Mazar had his reservations about actively helping them evolve. While he was in favor of trade and such, he did not like the possibilities of too rapid an ascend for a new species.

"I agree. We have enough of a bad reputation with the Geth, to add another to the list would be too much for the Council to ignore."

Norak was standing straight, luminous eyes narrowed. Mazar could tell from his body language that he felt strongly about this. He would not be associated with another incident such as the Geth. And frankly, neither would he.

But Hiri was adamant too. She saw to many possibilities in uplifting a race.

"But what if they could be controlled? What if we could help them reach to new stars? They could help us regain our position in the Citadel. They did say they were an Empire, that would suggest militarism. If we could assist them then maybe we could assume some sort of leadership of them, help them."

Mazar sneered at her.

"Help ourselves more like. You would risk a galactic war for the sake of our standing? We would be putting everyone at risk, including our own people. What if they see us as oppressors? What if they decide that we are monsters and eradicate us?"

The discussion was about to take off when a small light started blinking on the table. Instantly, the room fell silent and they all looked intently at the little lamp. After a short while, Vira pressed it. Instantly a voice sounded through the chamber. They could all hear that this voice did not belong to the Captain with whom they had spoken with before. This voice was somehow lighter, but more commanding and yet diplomatic.

"Greetings admirals of the Quararian fleet. I am admiral of the second order Michael Notcher of the Imperial 478th legion. We are relieved to hear that the Quararian people does not have hostile intent with that of the Human race and we invite you to join us in peaceful negotiations on the surface of a nearby planet so that we may come to speak with, and understand, each other. I hope that you will agree to meet us so that we may pursue peaceful relations. Notcher out."

As string of coordinates was then received which marked the location of the planet on which they would negotiate. They looked at each other. This had taken an unexpected turn.

"They wish to meet us? This was unexpected, perhaps it would be prudent to send a diplomat then. But I still don't like this."

Valo was immediately on his toes.

"We must send a person of sufficient rank. If they truly are a new species then we must not offend them by sending one of too low importance. But neither can we risk the entire admiralty in case it is a trap."

Mazar knew who would be sent then. In case of an attack they would need the command structure of the civilian and military fleets to be as intact as possible. That meant that the admiral who would be most expendable would be the one sent to negotiate. In a combat scenario, that happened to be the admiral leading the Scientific fleet. In case of either an attack or war, the scientific fleet would be the one with the least to add in the short term. Therefore the sacrifice of the admiral of the scientific fleet would have the least impact on the war effort.

And true to form, he was unanimously elected as the representative of the Quarian people. He knew that it wasn't because the others were afraid. Each and every one of them would gladly lay down their lives for the Quarian fleet. But in this case, he was simply the most expendable of them. He was prepared to go.

"Should you bring a gift?"

It seemed like a silly question, but in many cultures it was considered customary to bring gifts of good will to negotiations. He thought about it for a minute. A bad gift could cause a war. He did not know if his gift would be considered offensive, or maybe it would be a declaration of intent.

"Perhaps we should give them something simple. Like a piece of artful cloth like we use for our shawls."

He nodded.

"That would be a good gift. Artful, but not something that could be misinterpreted as insulting. At least I don't think so. I hope it will suffice."

And so they began preparing for the meeting with this new species. There was a thousand things to discuss, each had its own implications and could ruin the meeting. They had to consider every aspect of what they did. Was this insulting? Did this seem aggressive? Could this be misread? Things like his suit, his posture, his tone, his escort, the number of guards, their stance, the way he looked at the diplomat. Everything had to be just right.

"And remember. We have to be honest. We cannot allow them to catch us lie. Maybe not tell them the whole truth, but not lie."

Mazar had not truly thought about the implications of him being the representative of his species. But now, his gut was rolling around in uproar. He felt more nervous than he could ever recall having felt before. The future of the Quarian people rested singularly on his shoulders. He did not feel ready at all.

* * *

_June 29__th__ 2161. System AD-11/LR. 22:52. Terran standard time. Surface of second planet in system, designated T2-18N._

Senator Kim Zigman was waiting on the surface of the planet, a bit anxious at meeting aliens for the first time. He already knew of the Empire's successful negotiations with the alien government, and he was quite happy that they weren't annihilated in the process, but he was now waiting to meet with these 'Quararians'. He had been told that these were not affiliated with the other aliens that they had spoken with. In his opinion, the galaxy suddenly housed too many damned aliens.

He had been sent to accompany a fleet that would leave immediately to patrol a sector close to Earth, that was less than four hours ago. He had not been told why and he hadn't asked. Less than an hour into the patrol they had spotted some unidentified ships in a nearby system. They had contacted command on Earth who informed them that they believed the ships to belong to a race called the Quararian. The admiral had acted promptly, expecting them to be hostile.

They only reason that they had sent a message was because the Grand Admiral had made a direct order for them to do so. He had still believed that the aliens would attack and had prepared to meet his doom.

But now, after having received their friendly message, it seemed that a diplomatic method would become available. They did not seem overly threatening, and the admiral assured him that, should the situation turn sour, he would be evacuated and escorted back to Earth. He found it all a bit strange. Something about the whole episode seemed… Fishy. Still, he had never felt so nervous, and so giddy. When he saw the alien shuttle descend towards the planet he made sure that everyone was in position. He checked on the Praetorian guardsmen, six of them, who had been assigned as his escort, another curious thing he thought didn't add up, and made sure that they stood at an acceptable distance. He had been told that four sniper teams were hidden in the vicinity, but he had not been told where.

The shuttle touched down, its belly opening to allow him his first view of these new aliens. He had to admit that he was a little disappointed when he saw that they were all wearing some kind of environment suit. He could not understand why, even though the planet wasn't a garden world it still had a comfortable atmosphere and plenty of air. Maybe it was something with the way they breathed? Well he was a diplomat and not a xenoologist so he stopped contemplating about such trivial matter.

When the Quararians, five in total, had all disembarked and formed up, with one individual in front of the others, he seized the opportunity to get his first good look at them. They struck him as very similar to humans, except their weird legs. But the suits made it hard to be sure. He could see they were a good deal smaller than humans, less mass, but about the same height.

Seeing that they were apparently waiting for him to begin, he moved forward and bowed, Mirroring the action of the Quararian in the holo.

"Greetings emissary of the Quararians. I am Kim Zigman, senator of the Empire of Man, here to negotiate with you."

The alien mirrored his bow and placed a hand on his left breast. He knew that the translator worked, they had used it in communicating with them after all, but was still surprised at how human the individual sounded.

"Greetings Kim Zigman. I am admiral Mazar Zaron Vas Rvian. I shall negotiate on behalf of the Quarian people"

He heard the slight pressure that the male, from the voice he assumed he was male, had placed on the word and made a mental note to remember how he pronounced his species name. He smiled, hoping it wasn't a threat or something.

"I hope that we can develop peaceful bonds between our people."

Two of the Praetorians went to the shuttle and brought out two chairs and a simple table. They had waited to see if the Quarians were truly as peaceful as they seemed. Since no attack seemed imminent he assumed that they were. So they might as well get comfortable.

They seated themselves on the simple chairs, no time to procure anything luxurious, before they continued.

"So, admiral Rvian. It has come to our attention that a huge fleet has been positioned in a system in Imperial possession. We would be pleased if you could clarify the purpose of your fleets presence in said system."

He made sure to not sound threatening or angry. He didn't know why they made such a big fuss about it. It wasn't like they were using the system anyway. But while he wasn't military, he still had orders to negotiate with the aliens. And since he knew that the emperor had taken a special interest in them he acted nice. He didn't really see the point in going to war with them anyway. Not like they were really aggressive or anything.

"I apologize for or intrusion into your territory. We did not know of your existence or that the system was in your possession. We simply came to mine and colonize the system since we are in dire need to have a safe haven for our people."

Well that was odd. Why didn't they just stay in their home system.

"But why that particular planet? Why not inside Citadel space? Are you enemies or fugitives?"

He had a hard time reading the alien. But he could see him making some movements that reminded him of when his youngest girl had done something she shouldn't and was afraid to tell.

"Our biology does not allow us to populate many systems. The protein structure of the life on that planet is compatible to our own, which is rare, while not being overtly hostile towards us, which is even rarer. We cannot settle inside Citadel space since we are not a member species. We were kicked out due to complications with our relationship. But that is three-hundred years ago. We are currently barred from colonizing any planets. We do not have access to resources That is why we came here, looking for a place to stay, in peace."

He had to admit that he was stunned. Had they really roamed the stars for three hundred years? No wonder their ships were so banged up. But it also reflected on the Citadel. Why would they allow them to be in such a state.

"What are your continued purpose in the system? Will there be problems between the patrols and your fleet?"

The alien shook his head, a strangely comforting gesture.

"No senator. We only wish to live in peace with our neighbors. We will remain in the system if you will allow it, we will even allow a presence of a small human fleet to watch over us. We do not wish conflict with you or your people."

He kept saying that. It was weird, like a mantra. The Quarian turned and gestured for one of his people to move up. The Praetorian immediately reached for their weapons, ready to interfere if he tried anything.

But it seemed that no such action was required. The alien, who looked female, reached behind her and produced a lovely piece of fabric. Embroided with intricate symbols and figures. It was beautiful. The female gave the fabric to the admiral who then handed it to him. He was at first hesitant to take it, afraid that it would be the wrong thing to do.

"It is a gift. From the Quarian people to the human race."

He gratefully took it, mentally kicking himself for not bringing a gift of his own. But then, an idea came to him.

"Honored admiral. In light of your gift, and in spirit of good will and coexistence, we the citizens of the empire, give unto you, the Quarian people, the system designated SH-21/C as a gift. Seeing that no ill will was intended and that the humble and honest Quarian people are in such dire need."

He could see the shock, or what he believed was shock, in the admiral. Even those behind him seemed taken aback by the show of generosity. None had shown them such compassion, such mercy or good will before.

"We… we thank you for your kind and generous gift. May it forever be a symbol of the bonds between our people."

At that there really wasn't much more to talk about. They had establish a sort of base relationship and borders, the Quarians staying within the system and humans staying outside, and he didn't really have that many questions himself. But the Quarian admiral had dozens.

"So you know of the Citadel? Have your government communicated with them?"

He seemed very absorbed by this point. Zigman had quickly learned that much of the alien's body language was the same as humans. Often much more exaggerated.

"Indeed. We negotiated an equally beneficial deal between our two nations."

He seemed puzzled at that.

"Two nations? Have you not been absorbed by the citadel council?"

He seemed genuinely shocked to discover that they hadn't. Indeed he looked a little exhilarated as well to learn that the two nations were separated entirely.

Suddenly, a chime in his multitool commanded his attention. It was a short message from the fleet admiral. It simply read.

'Terminate negotiations. Leave on good terms but do not continue conversation.'

But why? It was going so well. But he knew better than to ask. He stood up.

"It has been a pleasure admiral. But I am afraid duties call me elsewhere. I hope that we may resume our talks at a later date."

They departed quickly after that, the Quarian seemed puzzled at his sudden departure and he himself was also a bit befuddled. He arrived at the hanger to find the admiral and a squad of soldier waiting for him. This was not good.

"Senator. There is someone who would like to speak to you."

The admiral's hard voice was undeniable. His mouth suddenly felt dry. Perhaps giving them a system was too much.

He was escorted to a small chamber, a holo-projector in the center. He was then left alone. Sweat was streaming off him. He did not know what this was all about, but he did not like it. When the holo-projector activated he was relieved that he might be told what would happen. That lasted less than two seconds before he realized who stood before him. He threw himself to the ground.

"My lord. How may I be of assistance?"

He was trembling with fear and terror. While he had seen the man many times in the senate, he had never been close to him. And never, absolutely never, had he talked to him personally.

The hologram of the emperor simply smiled at him.

"Why senator, you already have."

* * *

_August 11th 2161. System SH-21/C, renamed 'Cennoc', New-Garden. 20:10. Terran standard time. Aboard the 'Narhya'._

He looked out the window of the shuttle on its way to the Quarian Cruiser in orbit. He couldn't believe how well it was all going. The colonization and building effort was progressing faster than even their most optimistic plans had scheduled. After they had been given the system by these humans, they had begun the effort of entrenching the system, building cities, mines and reinforcing the fleet's guns and repairing their armor. The humans had only made short contact with them after their initial meeting. Mostly it was polite questions about the Quarians and their relationship with the Citadel, or about the Quarians past history and other such topics.

He was quite pleased that the humans seemed content remaining on the sidelines, they didn't bother the Quarians and the Quarians made sure not to make a nuisance of themselves. There were plans of perhaps opening trade-routes between them, but the Quarians had little to sell, and little to buy with so the plan was on hold for now.

He entertained the thought of maybe claiming a piece of land, settling somewhere, cultivating the land, growing crops and such. But he soon dismissed the idea. This was a good beginning, but it wasn't home. It wasn't Rannoch. He had received a call for another meeting of the admirals. He was a bit nervous, it had sounded urgent. But many of the meetings lately sounded urgent. Perhaps it was the fact that the Citadel still hadn't located them. Perhaps it was the fact that they still knew nothing about their new neighbors.

Arriving at the 'Narshya' he walked at a steady pace to the meeting rooms, seeing that yet again, he was the last to arrive.

"Well? What is this all about?"

He saw that the others looked puzzled, not alarmed. This made him relax a bit.

"We have received a new message from the humans. This one is a bit… Odd."

His good mood that he had been nursing despite his nervousness immediately disappeared. It had all been too good to be true anyway. Nobody just gives a system away. Especially not to the Quarians. They had probably talked to the Council and they had threatened them or something such.

They played the message. Mazar was not surprised to see a flustered Senator, the one with whom he had spoken with a few months ago, facing them.

"Greetings admirals of the Quarian people. I have been instructed on behalf of our leader to invite you to a stately dinner to be held on the 14th of August, three cycles from now, at the Imperial palace in the capital city of our home world, to mark the beginning of the future relationship between our two great nations. All of your admiralty board are invited and you may each bring a guest of your choosing. We hope that you will all join us for an evening of festivities and celebrations."

The message ended, and Mazar was truly perplexed. What was this all about?

* * *

_August 13th 2161. Widow. 08:22. Terran standard time. The human embassy._

Sitting in his new, very luxurious, offices on the citadel, Liam Cunningham, the ambassador of the Empire of Man, evaluated his new opportunities. While he had not yet officially been replaced as the Prime minister, that would happen at the election in two months, he had still chosen to leave the Terran system and prepare the new embassy. Thing would be better that way, he understood that his presence on Earth would only… Complicate matters.

He had already brought all the furniture that would be needed, along with his own personally elected staff, all loyal to him, and with a good deal of provisions that would last them a few months.

The whole setup had gone without a hitch. The Council, true to its word, had not interfered in any way. Although they had already removed fifteen bugs and listening devices from the premises everything seemed to be in order.

He reviewed the current trade and corporations deals that had been worked out between the various races of the Citadel, and the Terran Empire. It was mostly Medical and infrastructural devices and such that had been agreed on, but exchange of scientists and culture was also beginning to bloom.

It was tightly regulated, nothing military or technology which could be used to make military equipment was exported from any human world. And everyone that they let in was viewed and followed with suspicion.

However, most of this was of little interest to the former prime minister.

"And you have their loyalty? They won't turn on us?"

He was conversing with an associate he had met on the space station when he arrived. The Turian, whom he had been working closely with, sat across from him, his feet up on the expensive mahogany table, his talons making small scratches on its surface.

"Sure sure. As long as we pay the fee they'll do whatever we tell them to. Not like they have much choice, being mercenaries an' all, but as long as the creds are flowing they'll be loyal."

His mandibles spread in a smile, an ugly gesture, and he but his arms behind his head as he assumed an even more relaxed position.

Liam entirely disliked the man. He wasn't subtle, barely even above average intelligence, of mediocre wealth, and with no appreciation of anything else but alcohol and credits. His name was Actuvian, and he was perhaps one of the most disgusting and abhorrent aliens he had ever met.

"Excellent. And the Batarians? Are they cooperating?"

"Yeah, they are behaving alright, not often someone actually hires them for this kind of job, but they take what they get."

He made a mental note to have the leaders of the Batarian crews assassinated when this was done. It wouldn't do to have witnesses.

"And what about your associates on the station? They won't object or ask questions?"

"None at all. As long as we don't go shouting off the roof tops they won't ask any questions. And as long as I get my *ahem* standard fee, they won't even find out."

He looked expectantly at Liam who produced a small suitcase. Within it was a large number of small, silvery, bars of platinum, stamped with the picture of a wolf-like creature, and all shining new. They were worth more than eighty million citadel credits.

"You can take whatever is left when they have all received their share. There should be a little bonus for you too."

The Turians eyes went wide when he quickly deduced the size of his bonus. He got up from his chair and made to leave. But Liam had one last thing to say.

"And if I ever find out that you have double crossed me? You will end up like the guy they found in the lake."

He could see the horror on the Aliens face, even with all his strange features. Ten days ago, the body of a male Turian had been discovered, floating around in the Presidium lakes. His fringes, mandibles, fingers and toes were all missing. So did most of his teeth and other, more private, parts of him. The C-sec doctors concluded that he had been subject to hours of torture and had only recently been killed.

He knew that Actuvian understood the threat, and understood the part that Liam himself had played in his demise. When the Turian left the office, he was certain that every single one of those bars would make it into the right hands.

He contacted his secretary. He was ready for the next appointment of the day.

"Miriam. Send in my 8:45. And bring me a coffee, the golden Peruvian. And something for the councilor."

She acknowledged and less than a minute later, the familiar form of the Asari Councilor sauntered through the door.

"Greetings honorable councilor, I have given your proposition much thought…"

* * *

_August 14th 2161. Terran home system. 17:22. Terran standard time. Aboard the MFV 'Revianar'._

Mazar was sitting in the finest, most repaired, cruiser that the migrant fleet could produce. They were all gathered in the shuttlebay where him, and his beautiful wife Shianaa, alongside the other Admirals and their escorts, were waiting to enter the Human's home system.

He could feel the trepidation and the excitement in the air. Their body language, very pronounced due to the lack of readable facial expressions, showed a mixture of nervousness and excitement. None could remember the last time Quarians had been invited to dine with the crème of any society. This would provide a great opportunity to expand and reinforce their relations with the illusive humans. They might learn more about the race and their goals.

The shuttlebay was open, shielded by a kinetic barrier which allowed them a spectacular view of the system as they exited FTL drive. When the laid eyes upon the human home system, there was a collected gasp from all present.

Outside, surrounding the beautiful green and blue marble that was Earth, was a swarm of some of the largest military ships any of them had ever seen. There were literally thousands upon thousands of ships, more than a hundred which were easily distinguishable as being dreadnought class.

"By the ancestors."

Their view was blocked by the single largest spaceship anyone of them had ever seen. It gracefully flew past their view. It was a great distance off, but to any Quarian deserving the name, there was no question. This was the single largest spaceship that had ever been constructed. Bristling with guns, shuttle pads and missile platforms, the ship was a leviathan of destruction.

"It's monstrous… how is it even capable of flight?"

As they packed into the two shuttles and headed for the capitol, every eye was still fixed on the gargantuan spaceship. Either by coincidence, but more likely by design, the route the shuttles were to take brought them directly in front of the ships monstrous frontal cannon. It was large enough that the two shuttles could comfortably fly, side by side, through the barrel.

They left the ship behind them, heading towards the marble. On the way they passed several orbital gun platforms, each of them heavily armed and fortified. They all understood now, how severely they had underestimated the capabilities of the Humans. It made Mazar even more happy that their initial contact had been friendly.

"I thought that this was supposed to be a friendly dinner. But it seems that these humans are more interested in showing off".

Mazar looked at admiral Vira. He could understand her resentment. But she was looking at it all wrong.

"They are just reminding us that they are capable of defending themselves. Remember, we are the ones who parked a fifty-thousand ship fleet right on their doorstep."

She conceded the point. There was little talk as they approached the city. But when it came into view, there was yet another gasp of awe from them. They had just witnessed the sheer destructive power that these Humans possessed. Now, they saw their architectural brilliance. Bellow, was a city of pure gold. Tall towers, covered in windows that reflected the light of the setting sun, filled their view. The domed roofs of some of the enormous building covered in gold plating, pillars, statues and great plazas were littered across the giant city. Many a building was draped in red and golden banners. It was beautiful.

Too soon, their view of the spectacular city was cut off as they landed by the single largest and most opulent structure in the entire city. The white and gold walls enclosing several bodies of water, gardens and other recreational areas.

They stepped out, seeing a small honor-guard assembled to escort them through the premises. Mazar was dumbfounded by the sheer beauty of the gardens, the hallways and the courtyards they were escorted though. All of them covered in paintings and art. Truly, these humans possessed some of the greatest artisans he had ever seen. He looked forward to meeting their leader.

* * *

_August 14th 2161. Terran home system. 17:54. Terran standard time. The imperial palace._

Michael was concerned for the young boy, indeed he was concerned about Augustus a lot lately. His heart broke every time he saw him down the cocktail of pill and prescription medications that he was taking. Pills against stress, pills against nervousness, pills against migraines and headaches, pills against his developing ulcer, pills against his heightened blood pressure. He had seen it all before. Augustus's farther, his friend, had been just like him. The stress of governing the Empire was too much for any single man, even good men like the Tiberius line.

Augustus' servants had left shortly after they had dressed him, leaving only Michael and Augustus in the large room. He looked so regal in his royal dress. But the mask he put on before he left his private room was not there. He was just a scared boy, a powerful but scared boy.

Michael but his hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him. He could see the fear in his eyes. The fear of failure, the fear that he would not be able to do what was necessary. Every day, he had that look.

"You can do it Augustus. We have rehearsed this. Remember, this is for the greater good."

He could see the gratitude in his face. Augustus was like a son to him, he had taken care of him and his brothers. They had never had a mother. To make the emperors the peak of human evolution, they were created, using genetic material from the father and the best genetically grafted material as the mother. The Tiberius line was free of diseases, free of malformations, free of flaws. But not free of human emotions.

Augustus took his hand a squeezed it tightly.

"I know. But still, so much depends on me. If I get this wrong a war could break out between our people. Will they really give up their freedom, their sovereignty just because we demand it?"

Michael had no answer. As Augustus left to join the gathered members of the two races he could see how he straightened his back, and put on his mask._ Yes, too much depends on you, my dear Augustus._

* * *

_August 14th 2161. Terran home system. 18:00. Terran standard time. The imperial palace._

He made his dramatic entry, heralds proclaiming his arrival as he gracefully descended the white marble stairs to the great northern hall. He immediately spotted their Quarian guests. Of the four-hundred invited, they were the only ones wearing full enviro-suits. He made his way directly towards them. He could see how they were all staring at him. Or he assumed that they were since he couldn't actually see their faces.

As he neared them he made a discreet inquiry to James about the guests. Before he reached them, he knew the name, rank and position of each and every one of them.

"Welcome honored admirals. I am happy that you could all come on this day so that we can celebrate the growing friendship between the Human Empire and the Quarian migrant fleet."

He smiled, he had read all the information they had gathered on these people and was distraught to learn how they had come to be resented a hated by the other species. He was impressed by their resilience and endurance, but he had other motives for their presence today.

One of them stepped forward, his posture uncertain and a bit clumsy.

"We are happy that our relationship with the human race has transpired so well. But please tell me, are you truly the leader of the Human Empire?"

He understood his uncertainty. He was young, except by Salarian standards, and for him to rule an entire Empire was perhaps a bit too much to believe for an alien.

"Yes. I am the supreme ruler of the entire human empire. I am of course backed by the senate and the ministry who help me with the enormous endeavor."

He could see the different dignitaries, senators and ministers he had invited were beginning to press in closer to the curious looking guests.

"Please, don't let me hold you up any longer, mingle with the other guests. I am sure that you will all have plenty to talk about."

He left them. He would greatly have liked to talk to them, but that would have to wait until dinner. But while he waited he talked with the other guests, as the reports from the various agents and others who were talking with the Quarian admirals filled in. He would need every edge he could get.

When they finally left the great hall to assume their places at the enormous table covered in all manner of food and exotic dishes, even food the Quarians were able to eat, bought at great expense from the Turians, and in very small quantities so it did not become overly suspicious.

He was placed at the end of the table, flanked on both sides by a Quarian admiral, Mazar Zaron Vas Rvian on his right, and Hiri Havaroh Vas Tavrain on his left.

During the first few courses, the two admirals were guarded and nervous. But as they became more comfortable they started to become more eager and talked freely about the fleet, the new system, and their relationship with the Citadel.

"For months they have been hunting us. We only wish to live in peace and to have our home back. But they won't let us."

"So they wish to destroy you? Are they truly that cruel?"

She shook her head.

"No. They would probably quarantine us in a system, with no resources, condemning us to a slow but sure death due to lack of resources to repair our ships."

"And are they still searching for you? Would they still attack you now that you have your own system?"

He had made sure that no mention of the Quarians were made to the public. Their presence was top secret. And he had made sure that the Quarians did not know about the humans agreement with the Citadel. It was important for his plans.

"I believe they would. It would truly be a devastating blow… We have invested so much into this system. It is so strange having a home again. Somewhere for our people to reside on. We are deeply grateful for your generosity your highness."

It stung him to hear her sincerity. She was truly grateful for what they had done, and he was happy to have helped a people in need. But he had to look at his subjects first.

"Unfortunately… Some groups within our government believes that our gift to your people were a bit… too much. Some would like to alert the Citadel council about your position, I that case we would be powerless to help."

He could see their shock. It was not hard to read the expression in their body language.

"But we thought you were the supreme ruler. We have worked hard and diligently to make a home for ourselves. We thought that we had a good relationship with the people of Earth. Why would they hand us over to the cruel Council."

"I am only the ruler of the gathered state and Empire. But the people are still my employers. If they do not wish to hide the Quarian race then I am almost powerless to stop them. They are perhaps afraid that the council would become aggressive and attack us. While our fleet is large and powerful, we cannot hope to fight off the gathered forces of the Citadel. Some foolhardy members of the senate believes that by surrendering the Quarian people, we appease the Citadel."

Most of it was a lie. Very few even knew of the existence of Quarians, let alone, would hand them over to the citadel council. But it was only a small lie. The male on his right, the Quarian named Mazar, snapped to attention.

"Almost? You said almost powerless?"

Augustus did his best to look sympathetic, but also conspiring.

"Well… There is a way that I could remove the decision from the hands of the Senate. But… it's risky and the Quarian people might not like it. I would not even suggest it, it is so truly outrageous, but I have heard of your plight and it has touched me deeply. I wish to help the Quarian people as best I can. Even if it means that I shall call upon us the wrath of the Citadel dictators."

They looked intrigued, he had them on the hook.

"How your highness?"

He straightened his back, looking his most powerful and regal, a hard thing to do for a seventeen-year-old boy, before he dramatically answered.

"If the Quarian people were to accept vassalage to the Human Empire, and recognize me as their ruler, then they would be entitled to protection and aid by the gathered might of the human navy and army."

They looked dumbfounded, stupefied. Maybe even a bit insulted. When the male spoke next, his voice was unsteady.

"You would have us give up our freedom, for protection? Would we even be allowed to make decisions for our own people?"

He was starting to sound fearful. Augustus had suspected this. They thought that if they refused, the humans would confiscate their single world. He would avoid it if he could, but most likely he would be forced to do just that.

"Yes, all internal decisions will be decided by a board of Quarians, under the supervision of a small human task group. But any external decisions will be taken by the senate. I know it is a lot to consider. But together, neither of us need fear the tyranny of the council. We would be free of them. The Quarian people would be able to make a new home, not just in your new system but wherever they wished. You would receive resources, machines, tools and manpower to expand and improve your holdings. New systems, new colonies. United, we are strong, divided we will fall."

At this they both fell silent. It was not a pleasing proposition. No species, no state, no government no matter how weak and destitute would admit to have failed in such a degree that they would need the help of another. The Quarians were aware of the Humans wealth and power. It had become clear on their visit to the capitol. It would not be an equal partnership.

A gentle bell rang. Augustus rose, as did all the guests upon seeing him do so, and he called out.

"This concludes the last meal. Now, if everyone would follow the servants we will proceed to the front to watch the spectacle."

* * *

_August 14th 2161. Terran home system. 20:00. Terran standard time. The imperial palace._

Mazar was disappointed. He had hoped that the humans would engage with his people on an equal basis. But it seemed that they were aware of the Quarian's precarious situation He disliked the idea, hated it even, that they would become vassals to a single state. But he was split. Would it really be such a bad thing? Sure they might surrender their freedom and the right to govern themselves. But they would have security. They would finally be free of the endless prosecutions of the citadel. But their future, which they had just retaken, would be lost.

He was curious as to their destination. They were being led back towards the entrance from whence they came. But he was sure that the Emperor had mentioned something about a spectacle. He walked up besides the boy, who was accompanying the small group of Quarians.

"What manner of spectacle has your highness prepared for this evening?"

A smile spread across his lips.

"Oh the usual, to mark the meeting of two people. You could call it a tradition here on Earth. It is something we have done for thousands of years, ever since the first great nations came across each other."

He would say no more than that. Mazar thought about what he could mean. They knew precious little about human culture and history and he was sure that if it was so important it would have been all over the historic texts.

He began feeling a slight tremor in the ground. He looked at the other whom all showed signs of feeling the tremble. The humans didn't seem to mind however, so they followed. Soon, he began hearing cheering, and foot-steps. It sounded like one thunderous step of a titan, repeating itself every second. He could also hear the rumbling of engines. It grew louder and louder, the tremors became more and more violent. As they walked through a long corridor towards a gargantuan golden door, he could feel his entire body shaking.

Then, the doors burst open, and he saw the source of it all. His mouth fell open, and his knees went weak.

Standing on a large balcony, they all had a great view of a sea of red, green and purple. The sun glinted off gun-metal grey plates and knifes. The tracks of tanks and the tires of vehicles digging into the road, planes screaming overhead. And endless ranks of human soldiers, walking in perfect unison, the line extending towards both horizons.

Before them, was the single largest military parade he had ever seen. Either in historic documents, newscasts or any other place in the galaxy.

The road, more than a kilometer wide and extending endlessly towards both sides, were filled with soldiers and vehicles. Regiments of red-armored, rifle armed soldiers walked side by side, a thousand men broad and a thousand men long. Between each titanic block of soldiers followed thousands of vehicles, some of them with their roof removed to allow them the view of even more red clad soldiers. The largest guns he had ever seen, rolled by on enormous tracks. Mechs, more than ten meters tall, walked on two legs in groups of a few dozen, followed by a hundred smaller ones. The procession continued on in both direction until the curve of the planet denied him further view.

Across the skies flew swarms of fighters, bombers and hundreds of frigates. Even cruisers and ships that could only be dreadnought crowded the skies.

He could see his fellow admirals in a similar state of amazement and awe. On his right side, the emperor smiled broadly and proudly at this display of power.

"This is but a mere fraction of our might. While we fear that the tyrannical citadel council will attack us, we do not fear for our future. We fear for the loss of life that will follow. Not just for us, but for the entire galaxy. Together, the Quarian protectorate, and the Human Empire, will deter any foolish attack on us. We will secure the galaxy and save it from such a monstrosity."

Mazar's eyes began to blur. He saw spots in front of him, he felt faint.

"There are even some in the senate who shouts that we should forcefully conquer the Quarian people. Your large fleet is a threat to our colonies. Many find it disturbing that you have been able to evade the council, and they call for your subjugation. Those voices are few and far between. But it is the same on the citadel. They believe the Quarians have become to free, too evasive. If the Quarian people were to submit to the Human Empire, they would be protected from the Council. We will fight for you, but only if you join us. No human soldier will die for an enemy."

Mazar felt sick. He knew what he meant. Join us and live at our mercy, or refuse, and die by the hands of the Citadel council.

"What would you have us do… My liege?"

* * *

Well, back from vacation. Most of this chapter was written before i left, but for some reason it just never came out right. Hope nobody was dissapointed by the Quarian/Human meeting. Well in other news, we just reached over 200 favs. I had no idea that this fic would ever become so popular, and the support really helps keep me going. I'd like to say thanks to every one who has taken the time to review my work, and i would also like to give credit to Brodur who have been beta reading this chapter. Hope you stick around for next chapter, it might take a while comming out though, it is a bit heavy. But until thenn ;)


	9. Chapter 9

_August 16__th__ 2161. Terran home system. 10:00. Terran standard time. The senate building._

Leo's ears were ringing with the noise that half a thousand senators make when they are all shouting at the same time. In the corner, sitting on his lavishly plush chair, the speaker had decided that his services would not be required this session and had taken the opportunity to catch some sleep, his chest rising and falling slowly with the intake of breath.

"NO, NO a thousand time NO! It's bad enough that we take in every beggar in the galaxy, it is bad enough that we have already given them one ENTIRE SYSTEM, but to give them two more? Have you all gone mad?"

The senator received scattered cheering and applause from some seats, jeering and boos from others.

"Like we need those systems. The biology is completely incompatible with ours, no amount of terraforming will change that. Why not give them to the Quarians? We might actually make something out of them instead of just mining and resource collection."

Again, scattered cheering and jeering. The last two days, following the Empire wide announcement that the Quarians had petitioned the Empire for protection against the Citadel oppressors in exchange for vassalage, the entire Earth government had been in uproar. There had been no plans or contingencies for this eventuality. No one in the entire history of the empire had thought that an alien species would willingly submit to humanity and accept them as their rulers.

The ministry were desperately trying to find out how to deal with the Quarians. Were they to be considered equals? Inferiors? The emperor certainly thought that they should receive full status as citizens of the empire, and a good deal of the senators agreed. But after they had received a message from the emperor demanding that they be made full citizens, all contact with the man had been cut off. No one had spoken with him in days.

The senate on the other hand were trying to decide the extent of the Quarians territory, the funds that should be allocated to the fleet, and how much they would receive the following years. The first estimates were staggering, at least a few trillion denarii, and the amount of resources needed to repair and upgrade their fleet would severely dent the human ship production for months, if not years.

"It's not a matter of who can make the most use of it, it is a matter of principles. If we start handing every viable system over to the Quarians, along with the money and resources, then we destitute ourselves trying to help them. We conquered those systems, we put human lives on the line to explore those systems. And we are just going to give them to the slave race?"

"They aren't slaves. They are equal members of the human empire. The Emperor has accepted their request and granted them asylum within our government and nation. The rights of man demand that we help them to the best of our abilities."

"But they are not 'men' are they? They are aliens. They don't even eat the same food as us. They don't even drink the same water. Why should the rights our ancestors fought and died for apply to extraterrestrials? They don't give a damn about Earth or our people. They just want to grab our resources and money."

"I suppose you would make them all work in the mines then? Toil in the dirt for meager profit? They are just as much people as you and I. We owe it to them to provide them with security and peace."

"We owe them nothing! Where were these aliens when we were alone and frightened? Where were they when we were tearing each other apart in war after bloody war? Where were they when we were on the edge of annihilation, thousands and thousands of rockets aimed at each other?"

"Surely you cannot blame the Quarians for that? How would they even know of our existence?"

It had been like that for hour upon endless hour. Everyone was talking, shouting and yelling, trying to get their point across. Each argument would be directed at one senator, only to be answered by another. There was no semblance of coordination or coalitions. The parties had no official plans or policies and so, each senator was left to themselves. They voted based on their own ethics. Thus far, they had managed to agree that the Quarians were vassals and therefore a part of the empire. As to the nature, the size and the importance of that part, they were still discussing.

"Gentlemen, it would seem that we have diverged from the actual nature of this debate. Should we, or shouldn't we, grant the Quarians rights to use human technology, military and civilian, to further their species standing?"

Leo had completely lost track of the goal of the meeting, and he was surprised that after seven hours of debate, they had still not moved from the first order of the day. How had they even begun talking about further colonization? He tried to make his voice heard over the din.

"Where is the Emperor? We need to know his view on this matter."

Every eye turned to Kiel, who just shook his head.

"I have been unable to reach his majesty, he is away to settle important matters I am informed."

More important than this? Well they might as well not have shown up at all, he would just overrule every decision that they made, so their work would undoubtedly be futile in the end anyway.

He was beginning to see the wisdom possessed by the speaker, and promptly followed his example. It would do him little good to continue his participation in this debate. He leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. This was going to be a long week.

* * *

_August 16th 2161. Widow system. 10:00. Terran standard time. The citadel council's private chambers._

Sadra was shaking with bottled up anger and contempt. The humans had granted asylum to the Quarians? Hoe dared they! They had ignored a direct citadel edict that had stood for hundreds of years, enacted by herself, that denied the Quarians right for asylum and colonization. Apparently the humans, not content with making the council look like complete and utter fools during negotiations, would now directly ignore the citadel and its edicts.

"Have the STG made no progression at all in locating the human homeworld and fleet? Are they truly so inept at their profession that they cannot locate an entire star system?"

The comment was aimed at her fellow councilmember, Vedra Inostre, who simply took it in his stride, unfazed by the harshness of the Asari councilors voice.

"The humans have been able to conceal the system of their origin. As they do not travel using conventional means, most of our ships and scanners are unable to locate the hub of human activity. We have, however, been able to locate a good portion of the estimated strength of the human fleet. We now believe that they possess seven small dreadnought, five hundred cruisers, and two-thousand frigates."

That calmed her down a little. Even combined with the Quarians fleet, they would still be no match for the collected citadel navy. A navy that had steadily increased in size over the last few months.

But still, there had never been any question that the citadel was vastly superior to the humans when it came to military strength and economy. It was just the fact that the humans continued to be so pathetically blind to this themselves, and refused to submit to the superiority of the Citadel, and it's just and wise council.

"Could this be a ruse to provoke an attack from us? No one in their right mind would want the Quarians as a part of their government. Of course, if they make slaves of the Quarians then they could gain a significant boost to both their fleets, and their economy."

Markaus scratched his chinplates with his talon, an odd habit of his when he was contemplating, and looked expectantly at the other councilors, waiting for their response.

Inostre shook his head.

"Or scanners show that the human vessels are of a good quality. They are equal to, or in most cases, superior to Turian and Batarian ships. However they are inferior to Salarian and Asari. They do however carry a lot of firepower, even if their shields are of a lower standard. It would devastate the human economy if they attempted to uplift the Quarian fleet to the same level."

Sadra smiled at that, perhaps the humans would be dumb enough to destroy their own economy trying to outdo the Citadel. It was too much to hope for, but then again, the humans did not seem like the most thoughtful race they had ever encountered.

She spoke again, this time her voice was calm and soothing, trying to win over the other councilors.

"Perhaps we should not act at all then. We continue to deny the Quarians rights of colonization and we allow the humans to wear themselves out trying to uplift them. It would seem that we stand to gain more from this, than the humans do."

The others nodded, caution and patience would win the day here. Not superior arms.

"Then we should address the next matter on the agenda. Our markets are being flooded by cheap human copies of patented Asari, Turian and Salarian technology. As much as it pains me to admit this, our economy is taking a beating. It seems that most citizens would rather save their money than pay for superior wares."

This was true. The last month or so, Citadel space had been flooded by cheap human knock-offs of patented technology. As much as she hated to admit it, these proved quite sufficient in getting the job done. Be it omni-tool upgrades, engine and computer programs, or any other such technology. Initially the council had not seen this as a threat. But as the sales of wares exported from their own markets continued to plummet, the economy was starting to plummet with it. The overall growth in Asari space had only been one-point-two percent this quarter. An intolerable low number compared to pre-human-contact where anything below an average of two-point-two percent had been considered very bad news.

Inostre scrolled down on his datapad and his eyes quickly skimmed whatever text he was reading.

"Yes, their tech is inferior to our own, but many of the private corporations seems content in settling for less. Our investigations show that it now takes the humans a fraction of the time previously needed, to produce a copy. They spend less than five days producing a copy of our Mark XV Synthesized skin-weave. It is only about twelve-point-eight percent less effective than our own, but it is purchasable at a fifth of the price."

The story was the same in Asari and Turian space. To counter this development they had introduced extra tolls on imported wares from human territory. In response, the humans had dumped the prices to half of what they previously had been, thereby actually making their product cheaper than before. Inostre assured her that they could not keep up with this, since it would surely create an enormous deficit. But her own advisors had told her that it was more likely, as demand of the cheap copies rose, that they would be able to streamline the process and production, thereby making a small, but noticeable, profit in less than half a year.

Of course the council had tried responding to this blatant disregard for council patents by ignoring the human patents. This had not proven effective, since the humans, apparently, had already dumped the prices on wares sold to the citadel species in the first place, and as a result, citadel copies could only be sold at about the same price. And due to the tight control within human space, and the mistrust the humans had for aliens, the products of any Citadel species in Human space was viewed with mistrust and contempt.

Markaus looked up from his own datapad.

"Could we ban trade with the humans? Would it be possible to introduce sanctions on sales of human wares?"

Inostre shook his head.

"Such an act would damage the economy even more. If we immediately cut off trade with the humans, then all tech support for their wares would be lost. More than elleven percent of the private sector utilizes human products in some capacity, and it would take at least a week to replace them with our own, and at a staggering cost. The projected loss in credits would exceed two-point-five trillion across Citadel space and would cost more than fifteen million jobs in the short run."

Sadra's information agreed with Inostres, although hers were less conservative. But she had another idea. It was drastic, but it was necessary to save the council economy. Or at least give them time to counteract the humans aggressive 'invasion' of their market.

"If we introduced a toll on products coming into, and out of, the territories of the lesser species, and at the same time introduced an extra tax for military upkeep, then we could bring in the extra funds needed to prop up the economy."

It would not be popular. The Hanar, Elcor, Batarian and Volus would probably all reel against this action, but they had prepared for that. If they would not pay the extra toll, then there would be no trade, and they would soon have to open their markets to council again anyway to sustain their own economy. It was a short-term solution that would secure the council species economy, thereby give some security to the private sector. It would give them enough time to figure out what to do about the humans.

As for the tax for military upkeep. The Turians had finished production of another Dreadnought, in record time, and had three more under construction. Both the Salarians and the Asari also had another dreadnought in the docks each, although they both preferred to focus on their cruiser and frigate production. All in all, the increase in their fleet and army would require a great deal of credits to finance. And since it was in everyone interests to keep a comfortable distance to the human fleet, they would all need to pitch in to make sure that the production and upkeep went smoothly. Of course, since the client races did not have large fleets themselves, for the most part, they would have to sponsor the production of 'protection fleets' that would be specially made to guard their systems.

It was all in the name of common interests. The humans had shown themselves to be volatile and unpredictable, the Hanar and the Volus had even petitioned for the permanent garrison of at least one dreadnought group in their home systems to deter any attack from them, and therefore they needed to be shown that the council would not tolerate such wanton disregard for the treaties and edict enacted by the council.

"The client races will no doubt object, but we cannot allow them to simply rely on us to protect them. If we are to keep our fleets in space, guarding their planets and ships, we need more credits."

The other agreed, although Inostre did not seem pleased.

"This might create dissent amongst them, they will not be pleased."

She simply scoffed at this. The citadel was the single largest organization ever to have existed. It provided safety, growth and wealth for all its members. It could tolerate a little dissent amongst the lesser races, she had seen it before. She knew that no one could match the might and strength of the Citadel. No one.

* * *

_October 22th 2161. Scilia system. 10:00. Terran standard time. On the surface of Megalodon._

Mazar stepped onto the surface of Megalodon, the newest planet given to the Quarians. It was a large planet, mostly covered in water with only a few islands scattered across its surface, but the planet was so large that the surface area of these islands meant that it had more square kilometers of land-surface than Earth. Of course, it was a dextro-amino world.

The gale was quite forceful, he had to expend considerable energy to remain on his feet, but the initial scans showed that it was teaming with life and minerals. Although, it was all located on the bottom of the huge oceans.

He saw the enormous machines rolling out of the belly of the gargantuan transport ships. This was the fifth planet that the Quarians had been allowed to settle, with the assistance of human, and they would commence mining and farming immediately. The humans wanted profit and results at once. A sentiment he could understand.

"Make a perimeter two kilometers in diameter. Place the transportation hub on the northeastern edge, put the living areas in the southwestern end."

He pointed the humans in the directions he needed them. They immediately complied, heading towards the indicated areas, giant machines in tow.

Submitting to the humans, had to be the single best decision the Quarians had ever made. He suspected that they had some kind of ulterior motives for advancing them so quickly, but with the speed they were establishing, he couldn't care less.

Apart from the five planets, all of them either type one or type two dextro-amino worlds, they had been given resources, money, facilities and assistance. The colony on Cennoc had grown to become an economic hub. With the humans help they had managed to build large cities housing the people, farms to fabricate food for the masses, factories to produce goods and luxuries for the, previously, destitute Quarians. In just four months they had gone from being a species on the run, to possessing five colonies, each of them quickly becoming a financial success within mere weeks.

Not only that, but their fleet was being repaired, or at least a large part of it was, and they now possessed the first fully functioning completely repaired ships, with a few upgrades, that they had owned in centuries. A hundred cruiser class ships with their mass drives replaced with human sub-space engines to allow them to travel more effectively through human space. They even had new human sub-space guns on board. It was not much, compared to any other species, but it was more than they had had in a long time.

"How soon until you can have the first ships out digging for ore and fish?"

It was the human magistrate, he hadn't bothered learning his name since they changed so fast. They accompanied the Quarians anywhere, marking their progress and the expenditure of the colony. 'keeping the books' as they liked to say.

"At this speed we will have them out the day after tomorrow. Depending on how fast you can land them, and if we can find enough crew to man them."

The small Quarian population had become a problem. They simply did not have enough people to fill all the jobs that were being created. And the human/Quarian government kept pushing for more jobs and more factories, mostly to establish a healthy Quarian economy, but also to be able to compete with the Turian market which the humans saw a real possibility in. Indeed, several Quarian-made products had already had a huge success on the Turians own home market. Their years of imprisonment on the fleet meant that they had become quite efficient at getting every scrap of viable resource from any field, farm or mine that they came across. This made them masters in creating utilitarian machinery.

"We can call in some of the Auxiliaries to fill out as crew members until we can ship in enough people from Cennoc."

The Auxiliaries were one of the clauses of their vassalage to humanity. The Quarians would, amongst other things, hand over a total of five-thousand ships, including crew, and fifty-thousand volunteers as engineers and technicians. It had not been difficult. Hearing that the Humans would grant them aid, planets and systems, and hearing about their ships and technology, it had proven more difficult to reduce the numbers of volunteers to the fifty-thousand.

"I would estimate that we need at least ten-thousand to make this colony an economic success within the five months we have. Are there even that many available?"

Mazar shook his head.

"No. All the auxiliaries are either employed on human ships, or have already been allocated to another colony to establish defenses."

The magistrate made a note on his multitool before surveying the rest of the colony.

"There is supposed to be room for forty-thousand people here. Are you sure that you don't need more room?"

Mazar smiled behind his mask. Despite the positive relationship they had developed with the humans, who seemed determined to make the Quarians an independent species despite their status, they still did not understand each other very well.

"We have spent years confined on our ships every hour of every day. We could have room for twice that here, and still have some to spare."

The man just shrugged and made another note.

"Alright you're the boss. But I'm marking it down, so if this gets botched up it's on your head."

He could live with that. He was determined to be worthy of the trust the humans placed in the Quarians. They had been made equal members of the nation, although their government was under human authority, their people were worth the same in the eyes of their leaders. He would make sure that the Quarians would do their part.

* * *

_October 24th 2161. Sol system. 17:02. Terran standard time. The imperial palace._

Augustus was sitting in his private chambers. Michael was reading the data on the machine hooked to his arm, checking his blood pressure and other vitals for any irregularities or fluctuations. A month ago, Augustus had been released from the secure, and highly secret, private facility in the Alps where he had been under treatment after an angina attack. He had been there for almost a month before he had been released, enjoying the hospital's many luxuries facilities while he had been recovering.

He had of course objected to his forced stay at the hospital, but both the doctor and Michael had been adamant that he remain under observation and spend the time recovering and resting. Michael had insisted that the Empire would continue functioning in his absence.

But now that he was back, having read a hundred reports on the progress of the projects that had been running while he had been confined to the facility, he had been pleasantly surprised to see that the senate and ministry had managed to work together and had accepted the Quarians into the empire. He had half expected them to declare the Quarians a subservient race. That had, fortunately, not been the case, and by all reports the Quarians would be an essential part of the human economy, its military and civilian sector within a year or so.

But he had another plan now. Next phase of his 'master plan' was to be set in motion. He had, despite the wishes of the doctor, not been able to completely let his work lie. He had used some of the time to perfect it. Especially, he had conferred with one person in particular.

As Michael removed the machine from Augustus, he received a call that told him that the person in question had arrived at the palace.

"Show her into the small conference room in the Arthurian wing. Make sure that no unauthorized personnel are near the room. This is a private conference."

He did not bother waiting for confirmation. He fully expected his orders to be carried out to the letter. He quickly smoothed over his clothes and left his chambers while Michael removed the machines. Exiting his room, he was quickly surrounded by four praetorians, who then escorted him to the room. He marched through the long hallways and galleries that led to the opulent Arthurian wing and burst through the doors into the small chamber, where Anne Ferdanow was already waiting for him.

"Operative Anne Ferdanow, your last report did not answer my question to a satisfactory degree. Are your agents ready, or are they not ready for the proposed action that I specified. I need a straight answer. Yes, or no."

The woman looked uncomfortable, she hated not being able to do her job to her rulers satisfaction. His demands were not unreasonable, but she had felt unable to answer him on this question.

"My lord, what you ask is… Unconventional and have not been covered in any of our tests and training exercises. Your observations are not wrong however."

He leaned forward. His attention caught.

"So what you are saying is that we, in theory, could do it?"

There was a long pause as she thought about the possibilities, considering not only the assets at her disposal but also those that she would have access to through the project, something she no doubt had done repeatedly since he had sent her the message.

"Well… Yes. In theory."

Augustus' face lit up in a beaming smile. He slid over a datapad he had been hiding in his gowns. She took a quick look at it, her expression of mild confusion changed to one of sheer delight.

"And have you managed to locate an individual who can assist us in achieving our goals?"

She nodded again.

"Yes. A certain warlord Warnok Krong. He has spent much of his life either fighting as a mercenary, or leading his clan in conquest across the galaxy, mostly as a private army. He is an outspoken critic of the Citadel council, although his diplomatic skills leave something to be desired, he has agreed to assist us. Indeed, I think he was quite eager at the prospects of your plan sire."

Augustus was pleased to hear that his plans were advancing so well.

"Then you have my permission to commence operation "Heated conflict", the necessary funds have been allocated to your office."

Augustus was suddenly struck by an idea.

"The agency does not have a true name yet does it?"

She was caught in mid motions, half-way scrolling through the datapad that he had given her.

"No sir. We are still not a registered agency and we have no real designation."

He did not know if it was some kind of childish fantasy, or maybe it was a real desire to create an identity for the men and women who would risk their lives in the service of the empire, but he acted on the impulse.

"From now on, you are to be referred to as 'The Black Legion'. If they are going to put their lives on the line, at least they deserve to be recognized as soldiers. I will have uniforms and weapons designed for them. You will focus on making them ready for this."

He tapped the datapad.

"From now on, you will only contact me once per week with a report on your progress. You have received enough funds to sustain you for three years. A group of private firms have also been put directly under your authority. You will produce your own armor, ammunition and equipment. No contact will be made by the agency to any human authority. You are dismissed Ferdanow."

She quickly left the room, leaving him alone. He had devised the idea as one of the last steps of his master plan of destroying the Citadel council, all of it without firing a single shot, slowly demolishing their foundation piece by piece.

He made a note on his datapad, and began writing his next speech. As he left the conference room to head back to his private chambers, he had already contacted many of the news agencies, both human and alien, that were scattered across the globe. A press conference would be held in a few days. And all of the galaxy would like to hear what he had to say. Now they were entering the critical phase. Only time would tell, if they would be successful in their endeavor.

* * *

_October 26th 2161. Widow system. 15:29. Terran standard time. The Comaire lounge._

Sitting in the luxuries Comaire lounge, the ex-consul Norman Connors was waiting for his old friend, ambassador Liam Cunningham. He had been invited by Cunningham to come to the citadel for a meeting, and he was not one to shy away from an opportunity like that. Although he was no longer a consul or a senator, he still wielded considerable power both inside and outside the government. Indeed, his clever investments and purchases had made him more wealthy than ever before. So of course the man would try to reconnect, it was the only sensible thing to do.

He had been guided to a private booth, rigged most likely, and some alien liquor had been placed on the table. He only waited for the Asari waitress to leave before he poured a generous amount into his glass. He then proceeded to wait patiently.

Two minutes later, Cunningham arrived.

"Liam, old friend. How have you been."

He shook his hand forcefully, trying to discern his purpose for this meeting. He resumed his seat, Cunningham sitting down on the opposite end of the black metal table.

"I assume this isn't a social call to your old friend".

He smiled, still trying to figure out what this was all about. He had tried to gather information on his previous associate, but had come up empty. There was simply no information to be had that was not already widely available. That alone told him that he was doing something interesting.

"Quite right my friend. I apologies for not inviting you here sooner so that you might enjoy the hospitality of our alien hosts."

He made a dismissive gesture, trying to look friendly.

"I have been too busy anyway, and by the looks of it, you have been busy too. Now, let us cut to the chase. Why have you contacted your old friend and associate."

The Ambassador looked into his glass as he contemplated his position. Connors knew that Liam needed his help for something, so he was in a strong position. One he intended to exploit.

"Well Norman, as you are without a doubt aware, there have been certain movements which has gained a significant support both inside, and outside of the senate. I have heard to you have established close ties with these movements."

Ah. So he knew about his support of the Republicans. Well, there was nothing illegal in supporting the republicans, if you just made sure to hide which ones you were supporting.

"Yes. I confess that I share some of their views. I have reason to believe that a change in the structure of our government would be advisable and profitable for the future of the human race."

It was true. Ever since he had been ousted from the senate by the upstart Augustus he had plotted his revenge. Everything had been ruined when he assumed power, even more so when he tricked the senate to giving him even more power. He had become a tyrant and a dictator. He needed to be replaced.

Cunningham raised his glass in a salute, a devious smile forming on his lips.

"What if I were to inform you that there are people on this station, people in power and of great means, who share you sentiment."

This was an unforeseen, albeit fortunate development for Connors. He had thought that Cunningham would have supported such movements. But the way he said it made him think that he was referring to someone else.

"And these people, are they interested in supporting the movement? Or are they content to simply remain on the sidelines of it all?"

Cunningham swirled his glass, looking innocent.

"Indeed they are taking a very proactive part in the movement. Actually they have promised quite extensive aid and support. They only have a simple request to make."

"Indeed? And what might that be?"

Cunningham leaned back and spread his hands, now devoid of the crystal glass, an innocent yet amused expression on his face. It took half a minute before Connors caught on to his meaning. He refilled his glass as he pondered how he might profit from this development.

"Well then. If one was to follow a course of action that would allow such an eventuality to take place, then I am sure that a man in such a position would need some persuasive skill to win over the senate."

And that was why he needed Connors. After his somewhat forced retirement, he had worked tirelessly to regain his power and influence. It had been more than two years before his plans had begun bearing fruit. Two years, millions of denarii and hours of tedious and tiresome dinners and meetings with various groups and spokesmen. But finally, the ever shifting balance of power had started to change from the bastard Kiel, back into his hands. Of course, the emperor tricking everyone to give him power, had been a decisive turning-point in his plans.

"Yes I imagine that one would. Or, possibly, one would need influential friends who possess such skills."

"And what would said friends receive in return.

Cunningham took a moment to ponder this before replying.

"Well one could receive immense compensation for supporting such an event. The post of liaison would need to be filled. And possibly that of the Prime minister, or even the honorable position of Consul."

Well then. There was really no question what he would answer then, faced with such and advantageous change of his current position.

"And how would all of this be done then. Surely the party does not possess such influence. And surely our mutual friends would not consider something unwholesome."

Cunningham's eyes grew hard as he looked at Connors.

"As long as you are ready when we come calling, this will turn out to be very profitable for both of us. Why does it matter what happens to get us into such a position?"

Indeed. This had turned out quite a lot better than he had expected. As an answer, he raised his glass in a toast. A toast that Cunningham returned.

* * *

_October 26th 2161. The Widow system. 18:12. Terran standard time. Councilor sadra's private apartment_

"… And so it is with great pleasure that I announce that the Human Empire, and the Quarian protectorate have decided to create closer ties with that of the enigmatic Krogan race. We believe that it is the right of every race to choose their government, and to decide upon their own internal affairs. The Citadel council have enacted harsh sanctions upon this race, and we believe that it is time for them to be lifted."

Sadra could not believe her ears. She was watching her vid screen intently, her hand gripping the crystal glass she had halfway brought to her lips.

"… We have initiated closer ties with the honorable Warnok Krong, who have been campaigning for the rights of the Krogan to control their own system. While we do not wish to go against a direct edict from our esteemed associated of the citadel council, we urge them to reconsider their sanctions on this race."

She had to suppress a laugh. Like the humans cared for any of their edicts. This only went to show their arrogance and stupidity. They truly believed that the Krogan were capable of reasoning? That the human's support would alter the politics of Tuchanka a bit? Truly, they were beyond anything she had ever experienced.

"Therefore, it is with happiness in our hearts that we announce our alliance with the government established under the honorable Warnok Krong, who will form the unified Krogan coalition government."

Sadra spat out the rich wine she had just been consuming. WHAT!

"We recognize the efforts of Krong and his clan to unify his race, and to stabilize the planet. We therefore secure their legitimacy, and recognize them as a true nation worthy of sovereignty. We will defend them against attacks from any other foreign power, and also secure their neutrality in any conflict not of their making outside of their system."

Sadra angrily flung the bottle of Thessian bluewine against the vid screen, shattering both.

* * *

**Lore: The armies of the Empire.**

The Praetorian Guard.

Numbers: As of 2161 there are 6.400 men in the Praetorian guard.

The Praetorian Guard is the single most deadly, most effective and most loyal infantry fighting force ever to have existed. They have one sole responsibility to perform. Protect the Emperor.

Created shortly after the rise of Arthur Tiberius, the Praetorian Guard was initially a regiment of Veteran soldiers from different regiments chosen for their skill and loyalty. But after his death, his successor elected to refine the process.

Due to advances in genetically engineered children and human augmentation, it seemed more prudent that the ultimate fighting force of the galaxy would be specially chosen not just from birth, but would be modeled into the perfect soldier even before then.

Each Praetorian is the product of 'perfect' human genes. They are altered to be bigger, better, faster and stronger than anyone had ever been before. With these genetic codes injected as DNA, they are grown in vats, and immediately after their 'birth' they begin conditioning for their thirty years of training and augmentation that will transform them into Praetorians.

Receiving medication and injections from birth that will make their bodies capable of receiving the implants necessary for them to become super-soldiers, until the age of five when the true training begins. They receive their first glandular implants that will help develop muscles and extra brain tissue, amongst many other things, which will help them remember their hours of training and exercise while the body changes to accommodate the muscles that will be tempered though months of training and field exercise.

At the age of ten, every Praetorian have already gained proficiency in many of the weapons that humanity can field. With an almost photographic memory they are able to recall every minute of their training until this point. Here they receive their second batch of augmentations. These will help shape their bodies through the years to come. The next five years is the most critical in Praetorian training. As they go through puberty, the body is either going to accept, or reject the implants. In the case of rejection, the prospect will have no possibility of joining the ranks of the Guard. In most cases they then move on to join the 1st legion as grenadiers instead.

If the body accepts the implants, then the Praetorian will grow to well over seven feet, the muscles, organs and brain all grow with the young man, preparing him for the next phase of his training.

At the age of nineteen the prospects have been dwindled down to one fifth of the original number. The rest have either performed too badly, died, or have not reacted well to the dozens of augmentations and implants that they have received throughout their training. Through the next eleven years, they go through the most arduous training that they have experienced so far. Zero-G training, dessert planet hiking, tundra world trench warfare, deathworld single survival skills, ship to ship boarding actions, below surface combat and dozens of other such exercises.

At the age of thirty, there are less than one out of twelve left. But these are true Praetorians, having won the honor of guarding the leader of mankind through more than a quarter of a century of training and conditioning. These are the best warriors humanity has ever bred. Faster, better, smarter, stronger, deadlier. There is no one capable of killing a Praetorian in single combat. And each and every one of them are sworn to protect the emperor with their lives.

**Equipment:**

The Mark I "Hive" assault rifle.

The "Hive" assault rifle represents the very best, and most expensive, weaponry humanity has created so far. With a 3.000 RPM and a magazine capacity of five-hundred rounds, the rifle can fire both in Zero-G, under water, airless environment and any other places they might be fielded. They are the single most hard-hitting weapon available, the force of impact is capable of shattering even light tank armor and so have excellent armor penetration skills. Their explosive and corrosive bolts will make a mess of any soft targets they come into contact with and are easily capable of killing even Krogan with a single shot to the chest. But the weapons also possess a unique feature. Their 'hive' ability which let any 'marker' rounds that find a target able to act as a beacon for the semi-smart ammunition which will then fly towards the threat to eliminate it.

The Mark II "Exterminator" hand gun.

This large pistol, like the "Hive" assault rifle, represent the very best of human engineering. Firing semi-nuclear-bullets, the blast from the impact of the rounds fired by this gun is capable of completely vaporizing an enemy combatant. The enormous recoil from this weapon is so large that even a Praetorian would be unable to utilize it without the aid of their armor, and so wide circulation of this weapon is prevented as no one but a Praetorian would be able to utilize it. It has one major drawback however. With a magazine capacity of five bullets, and each magazine weighting a kilogram, the amount of ammunition that a Praetorian can carry is limited, even with their enhanced strength.

The Mark I "Bulwark" armor suit.

This suit of armor is large, but elegant. The connects directly with the Praetorian via some sockets that has been implanted in the Guard at a young age. The armor is an intricate work, accessing the pilots neurological network, allowing the man to look through the eyes of the armor, feeling its shell like it was his skin the pilot and the suit are as connected as the MECH suits are to their pilots. The armor augments the Praetorians strength and endurance beyond anything preciously possible for a human being. Even when the pilot is close to death, the armor administers medications, adrenalin and other necessary drugs to keep him fighting long enough to finish the job. The armor also has several shield units attached to it, each powering a different part of the armor's shields, allowing for a much higher stress durability than other infantry based shield projectors.

* * *

A/N

Well i initially hadn't planned on this chapter, but seeing how the next chapter developed i thought that i needed a bridge between them. So this was more or less a gathering of ideas and lose snippets of text i had written. Hope it didn't show to much in the writting. Hope you enjoy. Thanks to Brodur for beta reading once again, and hope you all take time to review some ideas or advice. Until next chapter :)


	10. Chapter 10

_May 12__th__ 2162. Aralakh system. 10:57. Terran standard time. Achan valley, Tuchanka._

Krong was wading through the bodies of the dead mercenaries scattered all over the emplacement, firing as he went. They had been deeply dug in, machinegun-nests, bunkers and trenches were placed in expert defensive position, each trench and bunker covering at least two others from being flanked and overrun. Not that it had made much difference anyway. Krong and his men had waded right through the hail of bullets, almost completely overrunning the emplacement before the enemy could organize any shred of defense. Nasty surprises had always been one of Krong's strong-points.

Krong was a true tank of a Krogan. Easily recognizable for his formidable size, even by Krogan standard, and the heads he had mounted on pikes sticking out behind his armor. He was a mass of muscles and plates. Every inch of his body covered in thick, blood red armor. In his hands he was carrying a large quadruple-barreled shotgun, a personal gift from one of the Clanleaders under him, who had also been the weapons first victim.

He kicked the body of a Turian away from his path, the males armor littered with the markings of the 'Iron legion' mercenary band. A deep laugh rumbled in his chest at the sight of the headless body, he enjoyed killing Turians the most. Asari were a close second, just above Salarians.

The Iron Legion was just one of dozens of mercenary groups, private armies, gangs and pirate bands that had been flocking to Tuchanka these last few months. There were warriors from the Blazing guns, Steel Mandibles, Annihilators, Rising suns, hidden stars, Red blades and many, many others. Ever since the humans had 'Allied' with his clan, they had come to his planet in droves. First it had been a few dozen at a time. Then it became hundreds. But these last few weeks, they had been dropping off by the thousands. They were all landing at the 'Space port' that had been hastily assembled near Ruanok mountain, coming to take part in the new wave of war and conflict that had swept over the wasteland world.

He didn't know how Clan Wulknot had the cash to buy off all of those mercenaries. They were the leaders of a small coalition of clans who opposed his ascent to the position of supreme warlord. But what the Wulknot and its subordinates lacked in true Krogan warriors, they more than made up for in sheer numbers of Pyjack mercenary scum. The last report he had received from his Human 'allies' stated that there was at least eight-thousand men stationed near the base. That would make quite a pile for him to sit on when they were finished with them all.

Suddenly, two crouched forms materialized to his left. He acted on reflexes honed through half a millennia of war and combat. Without taking aim, he fired three rounds from the hip. The recoil of his weapon, and the sound of its report send adrenalin coursing through his system. He saw both of his targets getting hit, one dropping to the ground clutching his belly, the other pitching over, knocked off his feet by the strength of the impact. He heard some rubble displace a few meters to his left. He whirled around to see a Salarian, one of his legs missing, trying to crawl away from him. He rushed over, placed the muzzle of his gun against the back of his head and pulled the trigger.

"No survivors! I don't want any of these weak pyjack scum to make it off our world alive."

It took them less than a minutes to finish the clean-up. They had almost gained complete control of the emplacement, only a few scattered pockets near the northern end of the position left, before the howling of gunships could be heard over the din of the battle.

"INCOMING!"

He threw himself to the ground at the last moment. A fraction of a second later, the bunker behind him was obliterated by a hail of rockets. He saw scores of his men falling to the hail of bullets of the under-slung cannons on the wings of the gunships, their bodies turned to shreds under the barrage.

"RETREAT! FALL BACK!"

They left the bodies of their enemies to rot on the field, and carried as many of their own fallen as they could back to the forward camp they had established before the attack. It was placed in the ruins of what had probably been a hospital once, centuries ago. It was a two kilometer run over dessert and radioactive wasteland. All the while they were being harassed by the hostile gunships. When they finally left to rearm and refuel, less than a quarter of the original strike force was left.

They entered the base, wounded, hurt and depleted. There was activity all around him, tanks, transports and other vehicles were racing around the camp, Krogan were assembling in groups outside of their camps, while weapons and ammunitions were being distributed.

Almost every clan on Tuchanka had been assembled under his banner, some more forcefully than others, and they had all sent their best warriors to participate in this last attack. The liberation of Tuchanka was close at hand, and it was all thanks to him and his strength. They had been mere miles away from the space-port, the only way for the enemy to receive supplies and reinforcements. Any of the clans that had stood against them had been mercilessly destroyed. His victory had seemed sure. Then, out of nowhere, the gunships had arrived. They had been facing them before, usually in ones and twos, but a lucky shot from a rocket launcher usually took care of that.

These were different. They just wouldn't go down. Every time their rockets got a lock on them, they would fire, the rocket would zoom towards the gunship, only to change course in the last second. They had tried everything, but so far they hadn't even scratched them. They were being pushed back across the wasteland and was now a good twenty miles from the space-port. The emplacement they had just taken out was less than three days old. It had been placed to prevent them from attacking again, fortifying their position even more. They had thought that the gunships would discourage any attacks before it had been fully prepared and manned. But they had forgotten that they had been facing true Krogan. Fighting for their homeworld, and more importantly, for the bloodthirsty and merciless warlord Krong. He would not accept defeat.

One of his men came running over, a look of determination and excitement plain on his face.

"Overlord Krong, the human merchant is here. He's brought the new weapons with him."

He walked past the warrior and headed directly towards the platform. He enjoyed it when the humans came. They always brought new toys. And money. Loads and loads of money. His 'reward' as they liked to call it. Really, it was his pay for behaving so well. They had first contacted him a little more than half a year ago. Back when he was leading his clan as a private army, fighting for profit and fame. He had at first been suspicious of their offer, it sounded too good to be true, but now he was quite happy that he had agreed.

The deal had been simple. Use his fame and strength to gather the Krogan clans, declare himself the leader of all of Tuchanka and then start a 'liberation' of the planet. He would receive weapons and money to finance his war, and they would keep the Council from directly interfering. As long as he didn't attack any council forces. When the time came when he had complete power over Tuchanka, he would assume the position of 'Overlord' and go to Earth to liaise with their human allies. In truth, he would retire to an estate where he could spend the last century or two enjoying life. With all the money they had paid him, he had become an extremely wealthy Krogan. The actual ruling of the planet would be done by the humans. He was simply supposed to validate their decisions and act as a figurehead that the Krogan could respect.

Truthfully he didn't give a Pyjacks hide for what happened when he was done. As long as the bastard council didn't get to rule over them, he really couldn't care less about this hellhole. All he cared about was the money. And the killing and shooting was a neat bonus.

Entering the makeshift shuttle-pad, he was greeted by the sight of several shuttles, all of them packed with crates and boxes. He saw the familiar figure of Victor Bout, the armsdealer who was supplying them with their much needed weapons.

"Victor! You son of a Pyjack, what have you brought with you this time!"

He smiled despite himself. Victor always had some interesting new toys with him. And if they were going to win this next battle, they would need everything they could get.

"Krong! You tanned snakehide! What do you think I brought with me? Candy and Dresses?"

Krong shrugged his massive shoulders, an innocent expression on his face.

"Well, those small pieces of crap you usually sell us aren't worth much more than candy and clothes in a fight anyway, so you might as well."

Victor walked over to a big, flat crate and kicked off the lid. Inside were long, triple tubes with several attachments to them. Victor pulled out one of them and, with great difficulty, hoisted the large weapon up on one of his shoulders.

"I actually did bring you something new you ungrateful bastard. This is the new, man-portable 'Eagle-killer' AA-rocket launcher. Should make neat little piles of scrap metal out of those attack shuttles you've had so many problems with."

Krong hoisted one of the launchers onto his own shoulder, impressed with the weight and feel of the weapon, and pointed it towards the sky.

"Yeah, those can be a bitch. The bastards didn't have them two weeks ago. Been making mincemeat of my men ever since. This thing have any anti-personnel capabilities?"

"Sure, just load 'em with hellfire rockets and watch the show."

Krong discarded the launcher and went over to inspect the other crates. Mostly they held more ammunition for the human weapons they had been receiving steadily over the last few months. Smuggled in with the help of their stealth ships, right past the Council blockade, and then handed to the Krogan. The weapons had turned the tide of the conflict to his side. Initially, most of the other clans had thought him another upstart warlord with ideas of glory and conflict with the citadel. Many of them had lost their will to even try fighting for their freedom. But the strength of his men, and the power of the human guns, had quickly convinced them.

"So how much did you bring this time then?"

The human Looked at his datapad, consulting the numbers.

"We've got six-thousand rifles, three-thousand shotguns, five-hundred launchers, two-thousand sets of armor, twenty-million rounds of various size, and ten-thousand rockets. That should keep you supplied for another two weeks."

Krong nodded. If everything went as planned then they wouldn't need more guns in two weeks.

A series of explosions shook the ground, knocking Victor of his feet.

"It seems that we have time for a field test of our new toys then."

Krong smiled as he picked up a few rockets and loaded a launcher. He rushed outside to see the camp in disarray, several blast craters marking the impact of the rockets where, previously, had been bands of warriors or vehicles. He could see a trio of gunships coming around for another run.

He activated the launcher and aimed it at the gunships. A clear, high-pitched noise alerted him that the rockets had locked on. Without thinking about it, he launched all three rockets at once. The recoil almost sent him flat on his back, and he had to take a step or two back to regain his balance.

The rockets flew across the sky at an accelerating speed. The pilots, used to the rockets swirling away after a short time, didn't even try to avoid them. After only a few seconds of pursuit, the rockets reached their targets. The following blooms of fire in the sky told him of his success. He smiled broadly, those gunships had been harassing his men and camps almost without opposition. with their previous AA weapons unable to lock onto them, the mercenary armies had gained air superiority. But with these new weapons, the Krogan had regained the initiative. Victory, would soon be his. And then, he would punish Clan Wyrlock and their allies. He would remind everyone why they called him 'The butcher of the Terminus'.

* * *

_May 12th 2162. Aralakh system. 01:22. Terran standard time. Ruanok mountain, Tuchanka._

Operative Joneson could see the enemy base clearly through his binoculars. Although it was pitch dark, and the enemy base was more than a mile away, he could easily make out the faces of all the aliens walking around the perimeter, sitting in their emplacements, or sleeping in their camp.

He buzzed the com-bead in his ear to contact the other operatives closer to the front.

"Night two, you've got a couple of guard coming your way from the right. They should be with you in about eight secs."

He kept his eyes on the guards in question, two Salarians, who were slowly making their way towards the position of one of the entry team. After exactly eight seconds, they passed right in front of them.

Nothing happened. The two guards simply walked past. Slipping from the shadows, two almost invisible shadows moved on to their objective.

"Thanks for the update Eagle-eye. Moving on to primary."

The next hundred meters looked clear. They moved from shadow to shadow, slowly but steadily making their way towards their main objective. The munitions depot.

Officially, the 'Krogan liberation war', as they had started to call, it was a purely domestic affair. It was a civil war between various Krogan clans. Therefore, no Imperial or Council forces were present on the planet. Unofficially, Tuchanka was teeming with agents from both sides. The black legion had been busy smuggling weapons, ammunitions and funds to the planet, while their agents were busy weakening the opposing side's defenses and forces.

On the other side, the council spectres had infiltrated the mercenary forces and used their expertise to target the enemies weak spots, guiding the beleaguered mercenary groups, and focused on taking out as many high ranking Krogans as possible, with Krong being target Number one. Initially, the spectres and STGs had been the only agents present on the planet, working with clan Wurlock to stall the aggressive offensive of Krong and his compatriots. The empire had thought it adequate to simply supply weapons and money for their champion, letting him do all the wet-work. But as the forces of warlord Krong began stalling, and then were being pushed back, they decided to send in some extra help to turn the tide.

And so a shadow war had started. Wherever the two sides met in open war, the Council and Imperial forces would clash in a clandestine conflict. They both knew of the other side presence. But to admit that they knew was to admit that they were also present themselves. Therefore, as an unspoken but mutual agreement, both sides forcefully denied any interests in the conflict, other than concern for the civilians caught in the middle, and denied any presence of any government sanctioned agents on Tuchanka. According to the Council, the STG were simply monitoring the system for any unauthorized ships or transports entering or leaving the system without invitation by the clans. According to the Empire, any humans selling arms or actively fighting on Tuchanka were simple criminals and war profiteers who would be persecuted once they returned to Imperial space.

"Eagle-eye, this is Night four. The VIPs have been taken care of. Falling back to extraction zone two."

"Acknowledged Night four. Route is clear, fall back and await pickup."

He resumed his watch. His partner tapped him on the shoulder to indicate something was up. He looked at the small part of the HUD that was the P.o.v. of the man next to him. He switched his own binoculars to the indicated position and saw immediately what was wrong.

In the carpool, several light vehicles were being prepped. Personnel flocked to them, jumping into vacant seats and grapping unto railings.

"Attention all team. There is a commotion down at the carpool, assume cover has not been blown I REPEAT assume cover has not been blown. Continue with mission, update will follow."

He watched anxiously as the vehicles left the carpool. He quickly looked around the camp but saw no other obvious signs of commotion. They drove out the heavily fortified front gate and left in the opposite direction of his position.

"The vehicles have left. No obvious sign of discovery. All groups, report progress."

"Group one, almost done here, just three more charges to go."

"Group two, falling back to EZ."

"Group three, targets neutralized, preparing for EZ."

"Group four, almost done, just a few more minutes and we'll drop out."

He anxiously waited for the last two teams to finish their assignment. Every second heightened the chance of being discovered, in which case the team would be left behind. The imperium would not acknowledge their existence and the mercenaries would most likely torture any survivors for information.

But fortunately, they were not discovered. The four teams completed their objectives and silently slipped out of the encampment.

"All secondary objectives have been completed. Eagle-eye moving in to complete primary."

He motioned for his partner to get up. The other teams had simply been planting charges and taking out low-level officers and clearing the way for his team. The real objective were his to deal with.

They moved across the wasteland, careful not to disturb any of the wrecks that littered the area. When they were only half a kilometer away, they dropped to their stomachs and began slowly crawling closer. It was slow progress, not only did they have to be careful not to make too much noise, but they also had to edge around the many mines and traps that had been planted throughout the duration of the conflict.

Suddenly, only a hundred meters from the base perimeter, they heard the unmistakable sound of an engine rumbling. They lay completely still as they felt the slight tremors of the ground that signaled that a vehicle was approaching. They did not have to wait long.

Coming around a small dune that had concealed it, the light vehicle cruised towards their position. Inside, they could make out six crew members, two of them manning a large machine gun perched in its back. It came towards them at a great speed and Joneson was sure they had been spotted. He suppressed the urge to fire his handgun, hoping against hope that their position had not been discovered and that their black capes would blur the outline of their bodies efficiently enough.

The vehicle edged ever closer, and his hand was trembling slightly over his holster. When it reached their position, it was as if time slowed to a halt. He could make out every detail of the individual crewmember. The scar over the Turians left cheek, the slight laziness in the eye of the Asari gunner and the missing tip of the Salarians middle finger. All that they needed to do to discover them, was to look out into the dark. Even with their capes and their high-tec mirror-armor they looked extremely conspicuous against the red and brown desert sand.

The vehicle passed them. After a minute, they continued their crawl towards the enemy base. They neatly passed the guards just outside the gun emplacements, and slipped passed them to hide amongst the tents and foxholes of the base.

They had few problems sneaking through the base. Most of the occupants felt secure that their guards and mines would alert them to the presence of any enemy force. They therefore had little challenge remaining undetected as they moved amongst the undisciplined gangers and mercenaries. Besides, Krogan were not known for their stealth and sneakiness.

Their objective was in the center of the base. A large structure which was built upon the skeleton of a transit hub. The space-port was an ugly and unimpressive building. But it got the job done adequately, and supplied the enemy forces with the equipment they needed to keep fighting. But the next ship would not bring in any weapons and ammunitions. It would bring in a group of spectres and high-end professional mercenaries. A group of such warriors could easily change the fragile balance of power back into Council hands. And command was very interested in making sure, that they never landed on the face of Tuchanka.

It only showed the hypocrisy of the alien government. They violently blocked any passage of any ship with any military personnel going to the demilitarized zone, while actively funding and equipping mercenary forces to fight for their own guy. But of course, all their ships were 'Humanitarian aid' or some other such nonsense and the blockading ships could do nothing to stop them. They had all the right paperwork and all the right signatures and therefore they could travel to Tuchanka, offload some food, some meds and a ton of soldiers, and leave without being assaulted. Usually, the mercenaries were labeled as 'Volunteers and specialists with expanded jurisdictions and means' which basically meant that they could do whatever they wanted to do, as long as they claimed 'self-defense'.

On the way, they picked up several parcels left by the previous groups. Too bulky and too noisy to carry undetected all across the wasteland by themselves, they had split up the weapon so that it could be assembled just before use. And so, encumbered by the heavy packets, they made it to the edge of the space-port.

The space-port was much better defended than the rest of the camp. Their intel had uncovered the presence of several Spectres already established in the base. Although they had encountered, and subsequently eliminated, other spectre forces throughout the conflict, these were in greater numbers and in a tighter concentration. Good thing they didn't need to get closer than a few hundred meters.

They entered into a large empty tent, the bodies of the occupants left in their cots so as not to raise to much suspicion. Joneson and his partner sat down and unpacked. They deftly assembled the long rocket, consisting of several sections, and then placed it on the guidance ramp that they had also assembled. All the while watching their backs for any guards or drunken mercenaries who might disrupt their mission. He checked his chronometer. Less than ten minutes to go before the ship arrived.

They set up the ramp and the rocket and angled it towards the sky, cutting a small hole in the top of the tent to allow it free exit. They wasted no time after that. The complicated guidance system built into the rocket would take it from here. when the target entered the atmosphere, it would know what to do.

They left the weapon and started sneaking out of the camp. They made sure to take the same route out that they had used getting in, not disturbing any of the guards or mines on their exit either.

When they had just made it past the furthest edge of the minefield, they heard the sound of giant thrusters kicking in. Looking back, they could see the frigate entering the air-space just above the camp. And then, a little spark lifted from the ground, speeding towards the enemy frigate.

It had been crucial to get the missile within the complicated anti-missile-defense-system that had been place around the main base. After having lost a few of their supply-ships to lucky fire from some Krogan AA heavy artillery, supplied by the Human tax payers, the council forces had set up the intricate protective system to prevent any other ships from being shot down. It did have one weakness however. To prevent the system from destroying their own missiles, it would not target any outgoing projectiles. That meant that they had had to smuggle the whole thing inside the perimeter for it to be capable of taking out any of the hostile ships. And since it was a one-shot thing, they had to make it count.

The missile flew at a blinding speed, shedding its first set of thrusters when it neared the shields of the Frigate to prevent them from stopping the projectile. When it passed it, the second set of thrusters kicked in. It slammed into the frigate, boring through the armor. When it reached its intended target, the magazine, it triggered the core of the missile. An experimental payload of highly unstable explosive liquid designed to activate the other explosives within its near vicinity was dispersed throughout the confined area. The following explosion was spectacular, but for Joneson and his partner, it also signaled a successful mission.

Explosions ripped through the vehicle pool and main storage area of the base as the charges of the previous squads, now covered by the debris and general destruction from the frigate, triggered and destroyed whatever they were attached to. Vehicles, tanks, munitions dumps and many other crucial emplacements and depots.

All the other agents had already extracted. So the two remaining operatives left the hostiled controlled red zone behind, silently stalking towards their makeshift HQ another twenty miles away were they would make their report and await their next mission. He was dearly hoping that the war would be over before then.

* * *

_May 18th 2162. Widow system. 21:54. Terran standard time. The council's private chambers._

Markaus was silently reviewing the report on the whole affair, reading the list of decisive events that had led to them losing control of the Krogan homesystem, and later, the war. The Salarians were always quick to point out what they could have done better after the events had already unfurled. Of course they had underplayed their own STGs lack of success in locating and plucking their security breach which allowed the humans to supply the Korgans with arms and armor.

"How many casualties did we take throughout the whole ordeal?"

Councilor Sadra was perhaps the one to take the whole thing the worst. Especially the economic loses of the shadow war had been staggering. Since they were unable to directly support any group in the conflict, being an internal affair as it was, they had had to support their preferred winners by paying for their mercenaries and weapons. As the war progressed, and the mercenary casualties mounted, the price climbed with the body count. It was all made even more expensive by the fact that they had to hide their interests in the conflict. And so, for every credit that was paid to weapons manufacturers, mercenary recruiters, smugglers and other shadowy types, they had to pay three credits to keep it secret. Adding to their already hard pressed economy, the cost had been devastating.

"Twenty-seven spetres dead, fifteen are MIA, and seven are severely wounded. Three frigates have been destroyed throughout the war, and five transports. As for the mercenary bands, we still have very few reliable reports on how many of those participating have escaped the planet, but we suspect that about four fifths were KIA, and most of those who managed to get off the planet were wounded."

The Asari councilor grabbed her forehead and looked gloomily at the table. They had no idea how many mercenaries had actually participated in the war, since they could not directly interfere, and since the mercenary bands inflated the numbers to gain more credits. But they had narrowed it down to between fifty-thousand, and seventy-thousand participants. Most of which had been killed or wounded. Inostre was composing a statement regarding the Krogans declaration of independence and alliance with humanity. They really had no idea of what to do. There had really never been any sanctions against the Krogan that banned them from creating a single nation. It had just never been considered necessary. But now here they were having to deal with a unified Krogan people allied with the second most powerful, and most obnoxious, nation in the galaxy. There was no denying the fact. They had lost control of the entire Krogan sector.

"We have to acknowledge them. We could claim that we have always supported the gathering of the Krogans into a single nation, and decry any who opposed it. That should create some distance between us and those elements that fought against Krong. We might as well try and salvage our reputation if nothing else."

Inostre nodded.

"I concur. Tuchanka is outside our control. As long as the humans do not insist on arming them we have no legal basis to deny them assembly or to decide upon their own external affairs. Continuing this conflict on Tuchanka would be counterproductive."

Markaus nodded, and after a short pause, so did Sadra. They agreed that the fight for Tuchanka was over. The humans had won this one. But all in all, it was only a moral victory. The Krogan could be used as soldiers of course, but their numbers were too low, and without a fleet of their own the balance of power had not shifted considerably. There were no strategically placed planets or transportation hubs in the near vicinity. No rich worlds or garden planets. Nothing to fight over really.

"I thought your contact would have informed you of the humans interests in Tuchanka sooner than he did Ilian. Is he not reliable?"

The Asari councilor looked at Markaus, her eyes piercing.

"My contact can be relied on completely. But if he had revealed their intent too soon, they would have grown suspicions. As it is, we have a more important matter to attend to."

She pressed a few buttons on her side of the table, thereby activating the holo-projector in the middle of the table.

"I believe that it will soon be time to initiate our emergency plan. The Humans have shown themselves to be reckless and dangerous. With the loss of Tuchanka, and the continued expansion of the Humans sphere of influence, I believe it is time to take matters into our own hands."

Markaus was listening intently. He knew about the plan she was talking about. They had been working on it these last few months, in close coordination with her human contact, and she had assured them that it could be done. But he was skeptical. Sure, it would kick the humans into line, and let the council resume control of the galaxy. But it would take some serious PR work to keep the civilians happy.

"It is risky. But I agree. They have become more and more aggressive. If they continue on this course, they will create some serious havoc amongst our systems. The ball is in our court and I think that we need to act soon, and fast, if we are to retake the offensive."

Inostre agreed with them. He drew some graphs onto the holographic image. Trying to explain the math his teams had been doing and the impact their actions could have on both humanity and the Council races.

"If we were to act quickly, we can prevent a conflict which could kill millions. If the Humans strike first they would undoubtedly attack our weakest systems on the fringe. It would disperse our fleets across a larger area, meaning than we would have to retake some planets and diverge precious time and resources to reestablish order. If we attack first, we could cut down on military loses and cost. But in the process we could kill thousands of Human civilians. I believe that this is a small price to pay. The economic impact will be considerable, but would eventually help to restabilize our own markets as the dominant in the galaxy."

Markaus reviewed the plan. It was quite simple actually, but there were so many things that could go wrong. Especially since they were kept mostly in the dark regarding everything that happened on the Human homeworld, which they had only recently learned the location of. But they still had little to no intel on what they were to expect on Earth. Therefore, they had decided that they would focus on the colonies, and leave 'Earth' for the Humans to deal with. Sadra's informant was unwilling to divulge its position and strength, and even the most anti-imperial humans he had had contact with had refused to say how well it was protected and armed. Apparently, that was one thing they all agreed on. None of the humans wanted their homeworld overrun by aliens, no matter how much they disliked their government. And therefore the council would only have a small role to play in the initial part of the plan. But their role in the second part of it, was a great deal more important and dangerous.

"And are the humans ready? Have your contact prepared accordingly?"

Sadra nodded.

"Yes. He and all of his assets are ready. They are just waiting for confirmation."

She looked at her datapad, frowning as she reached the bottom of the page.

"Although I find it distasteful how we plan to initiate the conflict, I believe the sacrifice is necessary. It is small, considering what the galaxy stands to gain."

Markaus remained silent. He had also read the last part of the plan. The one that would warrant an attack on human planets. He could hardly stomach it. But he understood why it had to be done. He hoped that the spirits would not damn him for his participation.

* * *

_May 18th 2162. Widow system. 21:54. Terran standard time. Citadel news network._

"Good evening viewers, I am Sasha Vi'ana and this is Citadel News. Recent developments in the conflict on Tuchanka. Celebrations erupt on the war-torn Krogan homeworld as the bloody civil war that has raged for almost six months comes to an end. Our reporter, Nilia Zaveri, is live on the scene. Nilia, can you tell the viewers what is going on?"

"Yes Sasha. As the viewers might know, a large scale conflict has raged across the Tuchanka between the two faction, the Krogan Liberation Army, and the Tuchanka Defence Union. With the defeat of the last stronghold of the TDU, they have elected to surrender. The numerous supporters of the KLA are celebrating in their bases and camps throughout the planet. One would never have guessed that they had just been embroiled in one of the bloodiest conflicts to have ravaged Tuchanka in recent times. Joyous celebrations have erupted, and the rebuilding effort has already commenced across large parts of the planet as the natives try to return to normality."

"Thank you Nilia. In the studio, we have expert in Xeno linguistics and biology, and the acclaimed author of 'Walking amongst the Krogan' and 'Humans: The new Rachni', professor Isha lian. And retired General of the Turian fifth army and military expert, Niarkus Kaleintus. welcome to you both. Now let me get straight to the questions. Many of our viewers have expressed concern that the Krogan conflict was engineered by the humans. Ms. Iian, what do you have to say about these wild allegations?

"Well, for any government or nation to actively engineer a conflict for its own gain requires that said nation has an overabundance of both wealth and a well establish espionage department. Neither of which the Humans possess. Their self-exile from the Citadel has severely dented the human economy that was, quite frankly, not very stable to begin with. As those who have read my book "Humans: The new Rachni' will know, the 'Empire' as they call their government, is in a very bad position. The discovery of the Citadel, and the superior technology and government possessed by the member species, has damaged the populations trust in their own leaders. Engineering a war would be counterproductive. As for secret agents and such, the humans are grossly outmatched by the Salarian STG and could not hope to ever commit any clandestine activities without us knowing so."

"Thank you professor Ilian. Now, a few of our viewers have pointed out that in our coverage of the conflict we reported that TDU made extensive use of mercenary forces and private armies. General Kaleintus, why did they resort to such extreme measures to continue a war that they had clearly lost?"

"Hmm… Well, the viewers have to remember that, although citadel news covered the conflict quite extensively, the viewers did not receive the entire picture."

"How so?"

"Well, a battle is a highly confusing and chaotic situation. The whole outcome may change in a matter of seconds. A single mistake made by either side may change the outcome. A war is just one long battle, and for a time, it genuinely looked as if the KLA would win the war within a week. The viewers might recall the battle of Kruchnok plains where more than twelve-hundred KLA soldiers were surrounded by TDU forces. After three days of hard fighting, they finally broke through the enemy formation after the arrival of more than three-thousand mercenary fighters, allowing the few survivors to regroup. As the fighting continued, the KLA brought in more and more mercenaries. They managed to push back the TDU to its original positions. When the TDU resumed their offensive, the KLA needed more men to keep them from being overrun. The longer they fought, the more men they needed to keep on fighting. And so, the mercenary forces soon made up nine tenths of the TDU army. It became a question of survival rather than victory. Perhaps they hoped for Citadel intervention to save them. But, the human's support of the war criminal Warlord Krong meant that any intervention would result in an escalated conflict that would have cost even more lives."

"Thank you General. Now we have received some very interesting questions from a large number of our viewers regarding the council's support of the new statement by the Krogans self-proclaimed ruler, warlord Krong. Why would the Council support a nation led by a convicted criminal? Professor?"

"Tuchanka has not had a gathered government for more than a thousand years, and the fact that an individual, even one like Krong, has gathered the clans under him means that the Council now have a chance of actually guiding the Krogan on a path of healing and rebuilding. If we do not assist them, then they will soon revert to their previous barbaric state. And we can certainly not allow the Humans to support them alone. That would destabilize their own fragile government and would ultimately spread conflict across both Krogan and Human space as they try to keep each other from failing."

"Thank you Professor. I am afraid that that is all the time we have for today. Tune in for our midnight report for an update on the evolving situation on Tuchanka. On our extranet site, Professor Ilian and general Kaleintus will answer questions regarding the development of the conflict and the Human and Council involvement in the war. I am Sasha Vi'ena and this, is Citadel news."

* * *

_May 18th 2162. Widow system. 22:44. Terran standard time. The joint embassy of the Elcor and Volus races._

"This one greets the honored ambassadors of the Elcor and Volus. May the Inkindlers bless this meeting. But this one is curious, what is the matter that you wish to discuss."

The Hanar ambassador glided gracefully through the door into the joint embassy of the Volus and Elcor, taking in the scarcely decorated room. At one of the two large tables he could see the ambassadors of the two races standing closely together, discussing in hushed tones. Well, as hushed as an Elcor could talk anyway.

"*Hiss* Thank you for coming Kahje clan *Hiss* we have something that we would like to *Hiss* discuss with you."

"Concerned: Are you quite well Karna Von? You sound more distressed. With Regret: Perhaps this meeting was not a good idea, we should not be discussing this."

The Hanar drifted closer to the two, observing the body language of the Volus, as he was the easiest to read, and tried to coax some more information out of them.

"This one would like to know what the honorable spokespersons have been discussing."

Karna made a dismissive gesture with his hand, his rotund body swirling toward the Hanar.

"*Hiss* as you know, the council have been *Hiss* placing harsher and harsher taxes and tolls on *Hiss* our species to support their own *Hiss* failing economies. *Hiss* Our own economies have suffered greatly in return, and even the renowned skill of the Volus bankers have *Hiss* been unable to procure enough funds to keep us afloat."

The Hanar drifted up and down the aisle, pacing along the red carpet. He did indeed understand the predicament of the Elcor and Volus. The Hanar were in a similar situation. The council was squeezing them too hard and too fast.

"With determination: If we do not do something, our planets will suffer from recession. Pleadingly: Do you not agree that we must stand together to solve this?"

The Hanar took a moment to ponder this. The Hanar had always been an unremarkable race when it came to Citadel politics. Apart from raising some fuzz every time a new Prothean dig commenced, most of the other species had little business with them. But like the other client races, they had a stake in the economic peril that the Citadel was gliding towards.

"This one agrees. The economy on this one's home planet has also suffered immensely. But this one does not see what the members of this gathering can do. This one does not possess any hope that a solution can be found."

At this, the Volus made a sound, halfway between a hiss and a cough.

"Well. As it happens I have been *Hiss* consulting with some of the more prominent members of the *Hiss* Banking clans. We have reached a plausible solution."

"With joy and hope: What does this solution entail?"

There was a long pause as Karna looked from one ambassador to the other.

"What if we requested *Hiss* to become part of the Human empire."

The Hanar stopped drifting up and down, and the Elcor ponderously shifted its large head to look directly at the Volus.

"With shock: How can you suggest such a thing. Fearful: If the Council were to discover that we planned such an action, the repercussions would be severe."

The Hanar drifted closer to Karna, trying to discern if he was genuinely suggesting that they split with the Citadel, and join the Humans.

"This one would like to know how the Honorable Ambassador suggests that we join the Human nation?"

The volus held up both of its cubby hand in a stalling motion.

"*Hiss* I have had contact with elements within the Human government. *Hiss* They claimed that if the lesser races were to *Hiss* partition to join the Empire in a loose federation, they would *Hiss* not be hostile to the idea. They even *Hiss* said that if such an eventuality would come to pass, they would *Hiss* offer protection from any reprisals from the Council. *Hiss* Their other demands were more than reasonable. *Hiss* I believe that a lucrative agreement could be reached with the Earth-clan."

There was silence in the small room. They looked at each other, waiting for someone to speak. None of them liked to think of the possibility of reprisal from the Council. None of them had any considerable military power that could protect them or deter any attack on their holdings. Should they truly break with the Citadel? They had been members for hundreds of years, and they had enjoyed a golden age under the protection and guidance of the Council. But the new kids on the block were stronger, more aggressive and brought with them the promise of a rejuvenation of the galactic market. They had beaten the Council at every turn and although they did not have the military power of the Council, they had managed to destabilize the millennia old union without firing a single shot. And the Volus had even hinted that the Humans had promised them a part in the decision-making process.

"With interest: This sounds like a very beneficial deal for our species, do you believe that they are genuine? Concerned: I have no desire to condemn my people to become slaves to the Humans."

The Hanar drifted back to the red aisle. Slowly going back and forth.

"This one believes that the honorable ambassador mentioned a Federation. But this one would like to hear more concerning the benefits of joining with the humans."

The Volus looked agitated. Like he was under immense stress trying to explain them his ideas. The humans were not exactly popular in Citadel space amongst the more powerful species. But the client races, with the exception of the Batarians, all saw the Humans as powerful and noble. They stood up to the council. They held their ground and demanded equal rights for their race, should they wish to join. That was something they could all understand.

"*Hiss* look at the Quarians. *Hiss* they have become vassals to the Empire just as the Volus are vassals to the Hierarchy. *Hiss* but look at the prosperity they have. *Hiss* It is less than a year ago that they have joined the Humans and they already possess *Hiss* six worlds and a booming economy. *Hiss* if they continue at this pace, they will have an economy that surpasses that *Hiss* of the Elcor within just another year. *Hiss* meanwhile, our own markets are bending under the pressure from the citadel. If the *Hiss* Humans can offer such prizes for their slaves, then imagine *Hiss* what they could do for their allies."

They all contemplated the suggestion. Split with the citadel and join with the Humans. It was a gamble, but with the way things were going they might as well risk it. But it would take coordination and unity.

"Determined: I have been convinced that the future of our people lies outside of the Citadel."

"This one concurs. Although this one is saddened that the long term friendship and bond between the species of the citadel will be broken, this one is also hopeful for the future."

* * *

_May 18th 2162. Sol system. 00:34. Terran standard time. The chambers of the inner council._

"We can't just let him go on a rampage across Tuchanka. We have confirmed that he has already slaughtered at least four hundred members of the Wyrlock clan. How long until we have had enough?"

Augustus stared at the large screen that covered one entire wall of the conference room. On it, was a picture of a long, shallow grave dug across a small area. Within were the deceased members of a small group of Wyrlock Krogans. It was a bestial sight, one that they had predicted to some degree before the end of the war.

"I want him on a shuttle to Earth within the next three hours. We need to remove him from Tuchanka before he starts a full purge of his enemies. Once he is removed, we can reestablish order. Have the peace-keeping legions arrived?"

"Yes sir, they are deploying as we speak. Should they disarm the Krogan groups?"

Augustus knew enough about Krogan to know that that would not be an option. He shook his head an instead addressed the next issue. The small room was filled with specialists and ministers of different departments. They were supposed to work on the 'New Tuchanka' project.

Project 'Heated conflict' had been an astonishing success. The Black legion had worked wonders and managed to not only secure victory for the Human supported Krong, but also to gather valuable intelligence on the Citadel forces and weaponry. They had used the war as a field test of their equipment against that of the citadel and had had the chance to severely improve their weapons. Already the factories were pumping out upgrades and special ammunition for their legions. They did not suspect a war would arrive anytime soon, but they would prepare as though it would.

It had not been without costs however. Thirty-five agents had been killed throughout the conflict, most of them when one of their transports had been discovered and subsequently destroyed. It had been a severe blow to the morale, but they had avenged their losses tenfold, and made the council pay.

Now, after the conflict had ended, they had decided that they would transfer a considerable amount of funds into terraforming Tuchanka. Mostly to keep the Krogans in line, but also to start improving the lives of the warlike people. Fortunately, most of the money they would invest in Tuchanka would circulate back into their own treasuries as most of the corporations that would be allowed activity on the planet was owned by the government. To save even more money, they would employ as many Krogan as they could. They could act as cheap labor for improving their own conditions.

In the end, Tuchanka would be subject to an aggressive rebuilding effort in some smaller pockets, also mostly to control the Krogan population in line, and to gather them in smaller areas. Thereby making the humanitarian aid easier.

But it would still become exceedingly expensive and difficult. It was all made harder still by the fact that there was no real economic gain to be had. The population did not have a taste for luxuries or other such goods. There were no resources or any other special items to be exploited. Nobody would invest in a project that would not give any gains. So, all the activity on the surface would be paid by the government. An expensive business.

"With the removal of Krong from the near vicinity, we need a strong second to keep them in line while he is away. We need an even headed male who is easy to control."

He was about to bring up a few suggestions that some task group had worked on, when he felt a discreet buzzing on his wrist.

"Excuse me gentlemen. I must step out a few minutes, please continue in my absence."

He rose from his chair and left the room, leaving most of the attending officials a bit confused.

He silently walked down the aisle between the many conference rooms and entered a small room and locked the door.

He fumbled through his robes, looking for the injector with the stabilizer liquids. As a part of his treatment at the private hospital, he had been given a highly advanced form of medication. It had been given to him in the form of a few implants that would slowly rebuild his shattered and stress eaten body, while also improving his mental performance. It was highly advanced, and was still in the final testing phase. It did have one major drawback however.

If he did not regularly inject himself with the stabilizer liquids, the implants would begin working overtime and that would wreak havoc on his heart and veins. Especially his mental condition would deteriorate as his brain began overheating. But as long as he took his medication regularly, it would not become an issue.

He winced as the injector punctured his arm. It hurt like hell. It felt like fire was creeping up the inside of his arm and into his chest. He grinded his teeth together as not to shout out in pain. The stabilizer liquids made him nauseous and dizzy and he had to take a few minutes of rest before he could get back into the conference room. He made sure that no sign of his activity was visible. He had to remain strong for his people. If he could just keep it together a bit longer, he could steer the Imperium into a new golden age. One where they were the supreme rulers of a galaxy in growth and prosperity. All of his plans were neatly coming together. He was the only weak link. And he was determined not to break.

* * *

_May 18th 2162. Widow system. 02:54. Terran standard time. The human ambassadors private chambers._

Liam was checking through the long list of people that he had under his command. Everything was neatly coming together. His elaborate scheme would bring the galaxy into turmoil, but it would be worth it. He couldn't help but smile. He had successfully manipulated the two largest factions into a position that he could use for his gains. It had been so easy. A promise here, a threat there, a reward at the right time, everything had come together. And now, he was only days away from enjoying the fruit of his labors. He would have power. He would have wealth. But most importantly, he would have revenge.

* * *

A/N

This proved to be quite an interesting, albait, difficult chapter to write. But i thought that it turned out alright in the end. Having the three races in mass effect that each has their own speech curiosity in the same group was a pain, but i think it payed off. Hope you like it and don't go to hard on me in the reviews because i promissed an 'alliance' with the Krogan. It is the Empire were talking about ;) Hoping to get another chapter up this week so arm yourselves with patience. Thanks to Brodur for beta-reading and advice. There were quite a few spelling errors this time around. please review and tell me your thought on the chapter and on how events are unfurling, it helps alot with plugging some plot-holes and to smoothen the story over a bit.


	11. Chapter 11

_May 20__th__ 2162. Sol system. 11:24. Terran standard time. Luna city, the Nemak Estate. _

Looking out across the large expanse of cultivated land and the lush, green gardens that surrounded his family's estate, Leo Nemak felt a strange sense of peace settling over him. He could hear the orchestra playing a quiet, comfortable tune and he caught a few snippets of conversations between the numerous guests still inside the large, opulent building that had been in his family's possession ever since the foundation of Luna city. Several hours of being in such close proximity to the richest, most influential and most powerful members of the Imperial aristocracy had completely drained him of every ounce of energy and patience he could muster. Finally, when the opportunity had arisen, he had excused himself and had retreated to the gazebo in the garden, hidden from prying eyes by large hedges and bushes filled with red, blooming roses. He was nursing a glass of liquor, the make and year of which he was uncertain, while he gazed out across the familiar landscape.

The garden had always been his refugee. The place he went and hid when the world was confusing and scary. As a small boy, he would spend hours playing amongst the bushes and trees and cultivated flowerbeds kept alive and well by a small army of tenders and gardeners. As he grew older, he had still valued the increasingly rare moments when he could spend time in the garden.

He heard the gravel on the path leading to the gazebo shift and crack under the feet of an approaching figure, likewise concealed by the hedges. He didn't have to wait long before the large, slightly hunched figure of his father materialized by the entrance to his sanctuary. He didn't say anything as the middle-aged man took a seat next to him, quietly joining him in his vigil.

They sat like that for several minutes, neither speaking nor making any indication of having anything to say. They had really never been very close, Leo and his father, so it was quite common for them to simply sit like that. It wasn't that Leo resented his father for pushing him to pursue a political career, and it wasn't that he had rarely seen his father when he was younger, Leo either being sent off to a prestigious boarding school somewhere on Earth or his father being on business trips whenever he was visiting his home. It was simply how it had always been. There was no reason, no cause. They just didn't get along. But they didn't dislike one another as such and so, they settled into a comfortable pattern, quietly acknowledging each other.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Leo cleared his throat and turned to face his father.

"So… I hear that business is going well. You secured that order for the new frontier worlds I take it?"

His father made an almost imperceptible jump as he was startled by his son suddenly making conversation. He quickly gathered his wits and nodded his head.

"Yes. Business is going well. And yes, I did get that order. I take it some of your contacts informed you of that. Well, I shouldn't be surprised at all, being an important senator and all."

He knew that his father had always aspired to become a member of the Imperial senate. However he had had some rather unfortunate dealings in his time. Starting his own business empire of selling arms and armor to the army, various law enforcement agencies and private households had been a lucrative business. But how some of his more advanced weapons had suddenly disappeared and made it into the hands of some less reputable types, the Triads, The Yakuza and The Cosa Nostra amongst them, he had never been able to explain. Somehow he avoided criminal charges and was allowed to continue his business, under stricter supervision by the AOCA, but later investigations showed that, inexplicably, a great deal of money had changed hands between various employees of the state and his father.

His father alone had been able to escape lifetime in prison for fraud and corruption simply because of the fact that by that time his firm had developed most, if not all, of the Imperial armies weaponry. And since his father was the sole owner of the now gargantuan business, incarcerating him would mean that the firm would be split into smaller parts and bought by either the government or smaller corporations. The bureaucracy and cost of acquiring parts and components from several competitors would be staggering. And so, the case against his father had quietly been swept under the rug.

Of course, that had also been the end of any political ambitions possessed by his father, who had then invested all his time, and a great deal of his fortune, into making Leo a member of the Senate. Leo had, in exchange, spearheaded many laws and propositions which would make his farther an even wealthier, more influential man. The latest act had been the 'Frontier-World-Civilian-Self-protection-propositi on' which, in short, would allow Imperial citizens inhabiting a frontier world, those worlds close to Batarian and Citadel space and neighboring the Terminus systems, to own and use certain arms and armor. It was in everyone's interests since not only had pirate raids and slaver attacks become more frequent, but the rising tensions between both the Citadel and the Empire had everyone on edge.

He had to admit, he was surprised by the speed and ease the law had passed. He had actually been approached by several parties who congratulated him on his ingenuity and courage. By spearheading the act, he had provided the gathering point for which the government could actually start working together once again. The infighting between the four parties had left them all weak, and the populations trust in their own elected leaders was failing. But this act, a highly popular law amongst a wide spectrum of political groups, and the speed and efficiency the government had shown in carrying it helped mend some of the fissures that had grown.

But Leo found one thing very suspicious about the whole affair. He had been approached by the leader of the Republican party, who had actually given Leo the idea of the law in the first place. But he had refused to spearhead the proposition himself. Now, Leo had to ask himself why?

And Leo did not want to admit just how extensive his knowledge of his father's business dealings actually was. Especially those that meant that a large batch of high-tec arms and armor had found their way into the hands of people who were actively working for a change in government. The Republican front, the People's liberation army and The illuminated were chief amongst these. And Leo knew that, prior to the senate even voting on the proposition, his father's company had produced more than six million rifles and suits of armor to be sold to private households outside of the Terran home system. A number, that was conspicuously close to the number of weapons bought by various planetary defense militias spread amongst the colonies.

Of course, his father had managed to keep these shady dealings secret, and if it wasn't because Leo himself had close contact with the political wings of said organizations, he would most likely never have found out. Not that he could disapprove, he himself could not be said to be completely without knowledge or interest in the activities of the numerous republicans or supporters who were in the imperial senate. He himself had pledged to assist these after all. This had also been the reason why he had agreed to spearhead the act in the first place.

He had been made aware of a large plot that would soon come to fruition, the specifics of which he was thankfully unaware of, and had promised to secure the future of the human race by simply voting with the majority. Although it sounded dangerous, not to mention treacherous, he had long ago learned that if one was to survive in Terran politics for long, one had to either go with the flow, or be the one directing it. Since he had no intention of becoming so submerged in the shady affairs of the Republican supporters, he could not reasonably direct the flow of the current events and had therefore elected that he would not stand in the way.

He was also aware that he was not the only senator who had been approached by the Republicans. A pattern was beginning to develop, but what it was and what it signified he could not even begin to guess at. He was just certain that it was there, and that he was missing something important. A piece of the puzzle that would make it all clear.

He belatedly realized that his father had spoken to him and directed his full attention to him. After a short pause, his father repeated what Leo had obviously not heard.

"Be careful son. Changes are coming. We both know it. These are dangerous times and if we aren't prepared we won't make it through to the other side."

Leo furrowed his brow, wondering what his father knew that he didn't. But he could not dispute the fact that the ever observant man was correct. The winds of change were blowing, he could almost smell it, feel it. The senators were on edge, the mood at the party had been more desperate than it had been festive, and the entire atmosphere on Earth was tense. It was as if everyone knew something monumental was about to happen. His father's advice was sound so he simply nodded in response.

* * *

_May 20th 2162. Widow system. 15:47. Terran standard time. The Lux bar._

Sadra was moving through the pushing and shoving patrons of the dirty and noisy bar, complete and utter contempt for the poor taste of decorations and beverages could be seen written across her face. Indeed, she had rarely ventured into such establishment even in her crazy and wild maiden years. She had always been a level-headed, serious and strict woman, rarely to be found outside the most intellectual and influential circles in the Asari society. The only reason that she was here now was because it was the last place anyone who knew her would be. Clad in a plain dress and wearing a mask that covered her cheekbones and eyes secured her identity It was another reason why she chose this establishment. They had made a lewd custom that all patrons should wear a mask, but she was certain that she wouldn't be recognized by anyone.

She made her way to the back of the bar were there were private booths, shielded by sound-blocking an blurry class doors, where she would rendezvous with her contact. She found the booth that had been reserved, under false name, and was quite pleased to find that her contact had found his way there before her so that she would not be made to wait. She knew for a fact that he had been smuggled in through the back since a human walking through the open bar area would undoubtedly attract unwanted attention, and was quietly grateful of his useful discretion and the care which he employed so that their association had still, after all this time, remained undetected.

"Honorable councilor, glad that you could meet me with such short notice."

Ever the gentlemen, he rose from his position on the opposite side of the couch, a beaming smile on his face. When she sat down she could not help but grimace at the idea of how these discreet and out-of-the-way booths were undoubtedly usually employed by the clients of this establishment. The man poured her a glass of what she believed was supposed to be a Thessian blue, although she doubted that the bar or its patrons would pay for such a luxurious drink.

She was, however, not in the mood for his usual pleasantries. He had made himself known to her several months before, contacting her through the usual channels, and after a brief, but fruitful, conversation she had been exalted by the knowledge that she might finally have found a weak point in the human government.

Ever since then, they had worked closely together to come up with a plan to finally remove the Human threat. She had at first been skeptical at his approach, believing it was some sort of trap, but when all her agents had come up empty handed she had taken the risk of trusting that his offer was genuine. Since then he had deluged the locations of numerous human colonies, the position of their fleets and the position of their homeworld. He had also helped her foil several smaller human political incursions and had even told her of the lesser citadel species imminent secession from the Citadel, which the council had promptly answered by placing large 'protection fleets' in the homeworlds of these traitors.

But all of these things had been secondary to their ultimate goal. It had taken all the patience she could muster, and all the subtlety she possessed, to assist him in their common endeavor. And now, finally, he had reported that everyone was in position and that everything was ready. They only needed her to fulfill her side of the bargain.

"So, honored councilor. Is everything in order? Have the others agreed to the necessary course of action?"

The question was innocent enough, but there was something about his tone that she did not like. She took an extra second to see if his face betrayed anything. Finding that his expression was as innocent and friendly as ever, except for that disturbing smile that never reached his cold, calculating eyes, she decided that there was nothing untoward about the question.

"Yes, although naturally they required some persuasion, they eventually came around to the idea."

He nodded excitedly. His eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly as he scrutinized her the same way that she had done to him before.

"And the… Object. Did you bring it?"

Without answering she procured a rather large, cubic device hidden in the folds of her gown. She had no idea why he would need it or to what end he wished to employ it. It was simply a form of coordination and data device. Specially made so that it had stored within it the coordinates of every planetary system in the galaxy that they knew of, including several millions from various games and vids to further supplement the vast amount of data within. Furthermore, it also contained all ship traffic and data gathered from all of the various Citadel races through the last five-hundred years. She had no idea why this was important or crucial for the man, but she had indulged him since neither she nor any of her advisors could come up with a plausible solution as to why he would need it. And since it did not give any data that wasn't already widely available she could not see the harm in indulging him.

He took it carefully, almost reverently, and it disappeared into a pocket. Before resuming his previous position, casually lounging in his seat, looking quizzically at her.

"So tell me councilor, anything to add before we commence?"

His left eyebrow rose slightly. She leaned back while she considered the possibility of further pushing the man. She had already made him agree to make the humans pay severe reparations for their contempt and the destruction that they would soon spread across the citadel controlled space. And they would accept a place within the fold of the Citadel community, without a place in the council. Furthermore, they would seize producing their inferior copies and adhere to the patent laws that was enforced by the revised unified banking act and would, of course, restrict their production of warships and material. They would also surrender the Quarian race to the Council and free them from their oath of vassalage. She had fought fiercely for these points, and had conceded on many others, so as to meet his demands. She could sympathize with his reasons to betray his people, his unfair treatment by their dictatorial ruler, and she quietly liked the idea. Disposing of the last real dictator of the galaxy seemed to be only fair and proper, and especially since the Asari, the paragons of democracy and freedom, played such a crucial role.

In exchange, the Humans would gain access to Citadel technology, and Human companies would receive some financial support so they could start expanding into Citadel space. They would be allowed to keep their ships and fleet and to colonize within a restricted zone. Furthermore, they would be given a position above the other client races, as these had proven unreliable, and therefore would acquire significant political influence in the Council, without actually gaining a seat.

She smiled at the man, shaking her head slightly.

"No, I believe that our deal is fair and mutually profiting. It would be a shame to tamper with it since we have already reached an agreement."

He seemed pleased with this answer and took a small swig from his glass before, giving her another of those unnerving smiles, he said with his ever so sweet voice.

"Then, miss Ilian, I would dare to propose that we celebrate the birth of the Human republic. In just a few days, the galaxy will forever have changed."

She thought that his words were a bit exaggerated, but she nonetheless indulged him and raised her own glass. She was, after all, speaking with the soon to be, president of the Human Republic.

* * *

_May 20th 2162. Nevera system. 16:55. Terran standard time. The planet of Vi'anara, The city of vianaon._

The small Asari colony was thriving. Having been established only a couple of months ago near the border of the human Empire, growth had initially been slow. Mostly it was due to the fact that most Asari felt that the unstable Human government would mean that their security would be threatened by an inordinate number of pirates and renegades. But quite the opposite had been the case. Every time a new colony was established, it was expected that there would be some minor incursions from some of the scum of the galaxy, but there had been none. Not a single small, insignificant, brigadier vessel had been spotted anywhere near the planet or system.

And their proximity to Human space had actually proven to be quite lucrative. Dozens of transport-ships docked at the hastily constructed space-port every week to empty their holds of the numerous wares and precious cargo that they carried with them. And as the human products left the colony to be dispersed throughout the rest of Citadel space, credits came flooding back instead, making the young colony wealthy and prosperous beyond anything the initial settlers could ever have believed possible.

Now, the capitol city Vianaon housed more than ten-thousand adventurous and intrepid Asari, looking to make a new life for themselves on the fringes of known space.

Working her way through the crowded main street, Mian Nasira was carrying a small parcel under her arm, the content of which she believed that the children at the daycare where she was currently employed would be very pleased with. She had originally not planned on staying here long, wanting to experience the closed nation of the Human Empire on a more first-hand basis, but now she just couldn't leave the adorable children. Maybe I another year or so, after all she was still only two centuries old and still had plenty of time before she was expected to settle down and find a mate.

She nodded and smiled to all of her friends who she passed on the way, having met many of them back when it was still a fledgling community just beginning to develop into a town, and still remaining in close contact with them now that the small town had grown into a city. She had always been a 'people-person', starting conversations with random strangers and always happy to meet new and exciting people, that was one of the reasons why she wanted to visit Human worlds so much.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the steely grey fringe of Antonius, one of the very few Turians on the colony. She made her way over to him, making sure to look as casual as she could.

"Good morning Antonius."

Her light, soft voice apparently managed to startle the Turian, who was busy opening the large gate of the storehouse he owned. He jumped slightly but managed to keep the heavy gate from falling and badly bruising his toes. He turned around with a bemused but pleased expression; his mandibles spread wide and showing a bit of his fangs as well. She knew through her travels that this was a good thing, at least when it came to Turian males.

"Hello Mian. I see you bring gifts for the children, be careful they don't get too much sugar, from what I hear, they are a handful as it is."

She smiled, glancing at the bundle of assorted sweets and treats tucked under her arm. Indeed, the spirited younglings were energetic, and could be more than a challenge for anyone who did not possess the infinite patience of the young Asari. But she loved them. They were so innocent and loving. They saw the galaxy as a place of wonder and beauty, ignorant of the horrors and terrors concealed amongst the stars.

"I'm sure they will behave. It is just a little reward after all, they have been absolute angels this week and I thought that they deserved a treat."

Still smiling, Antonius began carrying crates from the warehouse into the street, stacking them neatly together so that they would be easier to get into the truck when it arrived, making sure that it looked as if he handled the heavy burdens easily, trying to impress her.

"Well, if you need help reigning in the sugar fuelled rascals afterwards, feel free to call for back up."

He winked at her, and she smiled back before she proceeded with her daily chores. She liked Antonius. He was clever, funny and, despite not wanting to admit it himself, he had a soft heart. Maybe she should ask him if he wanted to see a vid later. Maybe one of those new human ones.

Her train of thought was interrupted by the screaming of thrusters. She looked up and saw several black drop-ships entering the blue atmosphere of the planet. Immediately, fear gripped her heart as she thought that they had indeed come under attack from slavers or such. But then she caught the flicker of sunlight reflecting off of the golden eagle emblazoned on the side of one of the ships.

She recognized the symbol as being that of the Human Empire and her fear became mixed with confusion. This was a Citadel world, and those were obviously Human military crafts. What purpose did they have here?

As if hearing her unspoken question, the bellies of the ships opened. From the dark chasms flew dozens of small, armored humanoid forms, each carrying the distinct figure of a weapon. Her fear became cold, numbing terror as she recognized the red armor of the infamous human Legionnaires. She knew enough about the reclusive Humans to know, that the legionnaires were their fiercest, and deadliest frontline infantry. Used to spearhead an assault… or an invasion.

She several smaller ships entering the atmosphere. Resembling fighters, these headed straight for the defensive installments visible on the hills surrounding the colony. These did not react in the slightest, and she suddenly remembered that they cannons and shields of the colony, were offline. Not being able to produce enough power to keep the growing city supplied, it had been decided to siphon power from the guns, since it seemed that they would not be needed.

She watched, petrified by horror, as the fighters dropped their deadly payloads. She was almost blinded by the searing white light as the defensive emplacements were obliterated. As if breaking the spell, she regained the control of her limbs.

In a flash she was sprinting towards the daycare. All her thought turned to getting the children to safety. Why the Humans were attacking, or any other such questions, were pushed from her mind. There was only one thing that mattered. The previously quiet, calm and almost empty street had been filled with panicking citizens in a flash. The crowd was pushing, shoving, screaming and crying. The confusion was absolute. And in the middle of it all the noise, she heard the sound of weapons-fire. A quick look confirmed that the humans were discharging their weapons as they were dropping to the ground. Aiming directly at the scurrying civilians.

Bullets whizzed close pass her head, and she saw several people being cut down right in front of her. She did not offer a single thought to her own safety. All that mattered were the children. They would all be crowded together in the small building already, most of their parents having early shifts and dropping them off before going to work. It was on the fringes of the city, and she hoped that whatever the humans wanted, it was located away from the younglings.

She turned down a narrow ally, a shortcut, and ran along the small roads and backyards that signified that she was nearing the edge of the city.

She could not fathom the reason for their attack, nor the brutality. Why the Humans would start a war with the Citadel was beyond her. But her questions would be answered later. As she entered the street leading directly to the daycare, she felt a great sense of relief as she saw the building, unharmed by the atrocities . She stormed towards it, running faster than she had ever done before in her life. She managed to get within sixty meters of the daycare before she felt the earth tremble, the sound of an explosion filled her ears and the heat scorched her face. She was thrown off her feet and landed heavily and violently on the pavement a few meters behind her. Badly bruised and dazed, she tried getting back to her feet, feeling and hearing several more explosions going off in the city.

Her mind numb, and her body bruised, she took a moment to survey her surroundings. Her eyes brimmed with tears as she saw the destruction sown in mere moments by the brutal Humans.

Large parts of the city were burning, bodies littered the street and the cries of the wounded filled the air. She turned around, fearing what she would see, and felt her heart and sanity shatter as she saw a burning, dark crater where the daycare had been mere moments before.

Her knees buckled under her impossibly heavy weight. She did not understand how this could happen. Her body and mind felt completely numb. She lifted her hands to her face and was not at all disturbed to see them covered with blue blood. She did not register the heavy steps approaching her, or hear the harsh voices calling out to her. She didn't feel anything when a hand grasped the top of head, or when the hot muzzle of a gun was wiped into her head. Then, blissful darkness overtook her.

* * *

_May 20th 2162. Nevera system. 17:47. Terran standard time. The planet of Vi'anara, The city of vianaon._

Mark Trivan removed his helmet to get a better look at the destruction that they had wrought on the alien colony. Bodies littered the ground, and fires raged in the surrounding buildings. He almost laughed in incredulity at how easy the whole operation had been.

"That's it? For thirty-thousand credits each I had expected a fight. But this is just too easy."

He hadn't spoken to anyone in particular. But the man, or alien, next to him turned to look at him. When he spoke, it was with the slightly hoarse, resonating voice of one of the Batarians. The Batarians who had assisted them had had explicit order to adorn themselves in human armor and that they must, under no circumstance whatsoever, remove any parts of their armor. He didn't mind. They were truly ugly buggers and he looked forward to part ways with them. They thought themselves so superior. It was a wonder no more fight had broken out amongst the human mercenary band, and the Batarian slavers.

"What, you wanna get shot up and die human? Typical, you have no appreciation of skill. We picked this colony 'cause we knew it had no defenses. We actually know what we are doing."

Mark grinded his teeth together, not wanting to ruin the whole thing by shooting the smug alien between it four, ugly eyes. They acted like they ran the entire operation. As if they actually had anything to do with its' planning or running. They knew nothing.

He glanced at the dropships landing on the field just north of his position. He knew they were supposed to resemble the sophisticated ships of the legions, but the Batarian contractors had done a crappy job at capturing the sleek, dangerous look of the ships possessed by the deadly armed forces of Terra. A human dropship resembled a bird of prey, carrying a payload more deadly than any bomb. The Batarian copies looked more like whales with wings. Of course, most aliens had only seen unfocused, hazy pictures of the equipment, and so would most likely never see the distinction. But to him it was painfully obvious. Even his armor and his weaponry, likewise produced by the Batarians, looked clumsy and blocky. Not at all like the legions.

But he was there to get paid. The costumer had been adamant that they use Batarian produced equipment, and that they must look like legionnaires. He didn't know why and he didn't really care.

He scanned the area once again, walking slowly down the street to make sure that it looked as horrific as an home. Good, exactly as requested. Behind him, his squad took a shot at something every once in a while, a window, a body, a wreck, all of it to add to the picture of death and destruction.

He keyed his com-bead and called to his captain.

"Captain, this is Mark. We've finished this section of the city. Left plenty of dazed survivors, as you instructed. What are our order?"

He waited a few seconds before an answer keyed in.

"Head to the dropships. We're leaving this dirtball, You know your orders and position. Now get a move on. Somebody is bound to arrive soon, and we are to be long gone before then."

He motioned to his squad who began jogging towards the waiting dropships. And as efficiently as they had arrived, they left. Leaving plenty of traces of their presence. It was only when they were many light years away from the system that he allowed himself to actually relax.

Years as a mercenary had taught him that if something was easy, if it was too good to be true. It usually was. For thirty-thousand credits per man, one would expect a dangerous mission with serious risk of wounds or death. It was a standard fee within established mercenaries.

"I'm just gonna go and check on the pilot. See if he's okay or need anything."

Again, he hadn't really spoken to anyone in particular. He was acting on a hunch. A gut feeling that he just couldn't get rid of. Something was off about the mission. He had known it from the start, But the high pay for an in-and-out job had been too alluring.

He made his way down the aisle, between the slumped bodies of mercenaries and Batarian, some sleeping, some eating and talking. When he came to the cockpit he knocked. Not hearing an answer he simply barged in.

He was caught completely by surprise by what he saw. All the pilot seats were empty. The ship was flying on autopilot. He instantly knew that that was significant and he stormed over to the navigations terminal. On the screen was something that confirmed all of his suspicions. The course that was plotted by the pilot would take them directly into a sun. And worse, they were less than a minute out.

He worked frantically, looking for a button, a handle, a manual, anything that could help him. He even started frantically pressing random buttons. He tried to reach the other ships, to contact someone, anyone who could help. But the radio did not response. And as the countdown came lower and lower, he arrived at the realization that there was nothing he could do. He knew absolutely nothing about piloting a ship. As the countdown reached single digits and he could see the flaming ball that would probably be his final destination, he could do nothing but stare at it.

"You son of a bitch".

And then, the ship seized existing.

* * *

_May 20th 2162. Sol system. 15:47. Terran standard time. Empire City, Southern harbor, a warehouse._

Calm, with a sense purpose and being a part of history in the making, Jonathan Harris was assembling his kit, along with nineteen other freedom fighters. During the last few months, he had trained intently on a backwards farming colony out on the fringe of Human space. He was part of the Republican liberation front, and on this day he would be part of the army that would bring freedom to all humans and liberate them from the oppression of the tyrant, the emperor Augustus.

He finished loading his last magazine. He went over his weapon, an old mark II Longbow, making sure that every surface was smooth and covered with a thin layer of oil. It worked perfectly and had served him well during his time in training. But now he would use it against the lackeys of the Tyrant for the first time. He was nervous, but exited.

He went over his uniform, a dark grey coverall with the emblem of the Republican liberation front on his right shoulder. A green laurel with three spears within it, the two on the sides crossing the one in the middle. It was simple, but it looked inconspicuous. It would provide some camouflage in the city but mostly it was made so that they would not stand out from the multitude of nightshift workers that would crowd the production districts at night. The Republican emblem was fitted with Velcro and he would remove it, and only put it on again immediately before the attack.

He felt a heavy hand on his shoulder. He turned to look into the stern, but friendly face of the cell leader, Archal Nohamak. He did not know the names of most of the other cell-members, but he knew the name of their leader.

"Ready boy?"

He nodded, the sudden appearance of a knot in his thought preventing him from saying anything.

"You nervous? Don't worry. We're all a bit nervous. No shame in it."

Again he just nodded. Archael moved on to talk to the next man in line, and the knot disappeared. He took a deep, calming breath. Only seventeen, Jonathan was one of the youngest members of the group, but he was also one of the most dedicated. He would not abandon the cause. Not when they were so close.

"All right everybody, sit up!"

He quickly grabbed his belt containing his equipment, water, a long knife, pouches for his ammunition and medical equipment before running to the back of one of two waiting trucks. Both were old, battered Langlow six heavy trucks. Used by thousands of corporations on countless human colonies they would not raise too much suspicion on the roads of Empire city.

He filled into the back, making himself comfortable amongst crates of different, unmarked wares. He was joined by seven others who all sat in silence, nerves on edge. The gate closed and moments later he heard the rumble of the old engine as the machine was kicked into action.

It was a long bumpy ride from the warehouse through the dark streets of the capital city of mankind. It was completely dark in the back of the truck, and the conversations were kept to a minimum. After a few minutes, he ventured to start a conversation with the man sitting in front of him.

"So… Where are you from?"

He could not see him, but he imagined that the man was slightly startled, probably having been deep in thought.

"Me? I am from Hopes Rise… Don't know if you have heard of it. It's a small colony. I… I was a teacher there. Primary school. History and Mathematics. Had about twenty students… What about you?"

"I am from Prosperity. My dad and I left some six months ago to join up. Used to help my dad with his store. So why did you join? The liberation movement I mean."

There was a few seconds pause. He could hear the deep sigh of the man, even over the rumblings of the engine.

"I just… I just didn't think it was right. You know Earth used to be a democracy. Where the people could elect their own leader. It just seemed wrong that one man, one boy that is, can rule without a mandate from the people."

He took another deep breath.

"You know, I just thought that it was wrong. Nobody can touch the emperor. Nobody is watching him. He can do whatever he pleases and none of us can do a damn thing about it. He could eradicate an entire world and no-one could stop him. It just… It just scares me to think of all the power one man can possess. And how long he can possess it before it corrupts him."

Jonathan nodded. He had had the same thoughts. Why should the emperor decide what he could and couldn't do? Why should a man he had never actually seen other than in the news and on posters decide his every move and right? What made him so special? What gave him the right? His father had told him of how he and his mother had moved to the far flung colony of Prosperity, back in the days of the first colorizations. Back then, there had been little control from the Capital and they had elected their own officials and leaders. It had been only a few months, but it had been a golden age. He himself had not been very interested in politics, but it sounded only right and fair that those who made the laws and collected the taxes were from amongst the ranks of the common people. Had been elected for their intelligence, their fairness and their wisdom.

They talked for the rest of the trip. The man, named Vic Hadan, Had been amongst a group of at least thirty who had left to join one of the camps of the republicans. He told him that they had been at least a hundred in that camp who had all left for Earth a few weeks ago. It sounded similar to Jonathans own story. Although he knew that the group he was with was not the only one taking part in the attack, he was still surprised when he heard that Vic knew of another two such camps on the world of Hopes Rise.

Vic spoke at some length of how the democratic leaders had been scared of the people. How they had to do what the masses wished, and not what they thought best. It was enchanting, and he hoped that one day, he might get to elect their own leader. To choose the man who would be humanities shepherd and guide. And should he fail, he would answer to the masses of Earth, not hide behind his fleets and armies.

The truck came to a violent halt. The gate was opened and they all rushed outside into the dark. They were in an even larger warehouse than the one they had just left. It was noisy. Dozens of vehicles, some with weapons mounted on them, filled the vast space, along with hundreds of people armed and dressed the same way as him.

His mouth fell open. He knew that there were more participating in the attack, but he had never expected that they would be so numerous. With such numbers on their side they would surely prevail. A sense of strength and courage coursed through him. All doubt and fear that he had possessed immediately vanished from his body.

He could see a man, standing on the roof of a truck, holding a microphone to his mouth. As he spoke his voice boomed out across the vast hall. Filling it with his strong, sure voice.

"Ready yourselves brothers. On this day, we will fight a battle for the oppressed masses, those who are breaking their back under the whips of the Tyrant and his lackeys. On this day, we will free humanity from the shackles of Dictators, and freedom shall rain once again. On this day, we will shed our righteous blood, and by our sacrifice, we shall break the foundation of the corrupt Empire, and give rise to the Republic of man."

* * *

A/N

So... Been a while since i updated. I apologiece :( but i promise that i will update a lot more frequently. But the chapters will be shorter. Hope you liked this one after such a long break. It has not been beta-read as i wanted to get it out as quick as possible and it is more of a bridge chapter along to the third segment of the story (I really hadn't thought the fic would live this long) But i have secured internet access (another reason why updating was a lot more difficult than i should be) and i have found a rythm so that i should be able to write a lot more often. :)

I have also created a Forum for this fic. I hope that some of you have the time to create topics and participate in discusions as this is your way of influencing the fic. For now, it is a desolate wasteland without any topics in it as i have very little to say, but rest assured that i will take the time to read and participate in discussions in it, and that i will take suggestions under advisement.

Link: myforums/Holland93/4765112/

Until next time then :)


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